DURING the presidential election campaign, I kind of expected what happened to Davao City lately.  I’m referring to the explosion that killed innocent beings and wounded scores of bystanders. When the campaign was anchored, and repeatedly so in order to attract the attention of voters, on the fight against drugs and criminality, my mischievous mind toyed with the though that “of course, the objects of campaign theme will not take that sitting down.” We all know that the drug trade in the country is not controlled by “kung sino-sino lang dyan” but by moneyed and well-oiled groups.  As the presidential campaign went on, they too, could have been planning their counter-offensives.  And surely, yes, quite surely, it will be civilians who will be objects of retaliations.  It will not be the presidential palace or the military or the police force. While the campaign spin doctors and keyboard warriors focused on the supporters of the other presidential candidates, calling them names and hurling physical threats and even death, they forgot about the potency of the organized criminals and their ability to launch an effective counter-offensive against the civilians. The loudmouth may have caused it all. The sustained arrogance may have been the last straw. The macho image may have gotten to his head all the more. You are losing the battle because you are picking on a girl, Sir.  And please tell your warriors that a Senator of the Republic cannot be a subject of impeachment. Oh mhay ghaad! - Romanito Conteras, romanitoconteras@gmail.com ‘ Dastardly Attack I CONDEMN in the strongest possible terms the dastardly and cowardly attack last night against the peace-loving people of Davao City. There is no excuse for hurting and killing civilians who were simply enjoying a night out with friends and family. My prayers are with the victims of the terrorist attack and their families. Justice must be served and the Senate will be supportive in achieving this Justice. The Police should be supported in solving this crime so that they can bring the perpetrators to Justice. All of us should help and find ways to improve our security measures in order to forestall a similar event in the future. -Aquilino “Koko”Pimentel III, Senate President   Call for Vigilance WE condemn in the strongest terms this latest terroristic attack on our city. We extend our sympathies to the victims and their families. I stand with my fellow Davaoeños in calling for justice to the victims of this cowardly and barbaric attack on hapless civilians. We call on the  government to use the full force of the law to bring to the bar of justice the perpetrators of this dastardly crime. We also call on the Filipino people to be vigilant as the Davao blast incident might be used by undemocratic elements to foment more chaos and sabotage the peace initiatives of the Duterte administration and the revolutionary groups. -Carlos Isagani Zarate, Representative, Bayan Muna   Beware, the US ANAKBAYAN expresses its sympathy to the families and loved ones of the victims of the Davao City bombing on the night of Sept. 2. Anakbayan condemns the bombings of civilians which has killed up to 14 innocent civilians and injured 71 others. We call for justice for all the victims of the Davao bombing, a terrorist attack that viciously targeted innocent civilians. We believe the incident aims to sow fear and disorder among the populace and thwart President Duterte’s peace efforts. Even as the Abu Sayaff has already claimed responsibility for the bombing, Anakbayan still urges the Duterte administration to pursue a deeper probe and be wary of the “double-faced” offers by the US to help in investigating the incident. Let us not forget the case of Michael Meiring, an American agent carrying bombs that accidentally exploded inside the Evergreen Hotel in Davao City in 2002. Similar bombs were used in the twin bombings of Davao Airport and Sasa Wharf a year later. We warn that the US has been exporting wars of intervention, military coups, terrorist actions, covert operations, and other “dirty tricks” the world over and has zero credibility in probing the deadly explosion in Davao. It is an open secret that the Abu Sayaff was set up by the CIA and the AFP with Commander Robot even confessing that American bomb expert Jefrey Scheiling has been training them in their camp. Abu Sayaff has received support, firearms, and protection from the military. Anakbayan warns that malign forces may be seeking to create an atmosphere that will justify the deployment of more US troops in the country or the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) in the run up to US President Barrack Obama’s visit. The group also cautions against using the incident to push for martial rule, curtailment of civil liberties, and witch-hunts against innocent Moro civilians in the guise of protecting security. -Vencer Crisostomo, Chairman, Anakbayan   Some Concerns TOGETHER with the Filipino people, I grieve with the families of the victims of the attack in Davao Friday night. I fully condemn this act of violence and support the full extent of the law to identify and punish the perpetrators of this atrocious crime. I welcome the swift response of President Duterte on this matter. I also laud him for finally admitting that the country is in a crisis involving unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings. However, I would like to express my deep concerns regarding the President's declaration of a state of lawlessness all over the country. President Duterte’s declaration of a “state of lawlessness” should be merely an act declaring a status or condition of public moment or interest, a declaration allowed under Section 4 Chapter 2, Book II of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987, which provides: SEC. 4. Proclamations. Acts of the President fixing a date or declaring a status or condition of public moment or interest, upon the existence of which the operation of a specific law or regulation is made to depend, shall be promulgated in proclamations that shall have the force of an executive order. The Supreme Court said that declarations of such nature should be “harmless, without legal significance, and deemed not written.” The “Calling Out Powers” of the President under Sec 18, Article VII should be limited in scope. The President shall only deploy the Armed Forces to suppress the identified acts of violence, which serve as factual basis for the Calling-Out Power. It cannot give the military and the police extra powers. They still cannot conduct arrests, searches and seizures without judicial warrants. Contrary to the President’s instructions, they cannot, in a anyway and in any legal and constitutional sense, run the country. The President might have intended this declaration to underscore the seriousness of the Davao attack. But he should be aware that his actions may very well contribute to an environment of fear and violence that will serve the interests of lawless elements. I worry that the President might play to the script of the perpetrators of the violence. I urge the Duterte government to continue to operate within the bounds of the law and respect the civil liberties of the people. We cannot fight lawless elements by depriving our people their right to the rule of law. Lastly, I urge my fellow Filipinos, especially our Mindanaoan sisters and brothers, to remain vigilant and be united in these trying times. We will not cower in fear. -Risa Hontiveros, Senator