Papers, Newsletters, Reports & StatementsPCID Condemns Attack on Congress; Calls for Resolve and Caution

The Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) expresses its shock and condemnation over the deaths and injuries resulting from the explosion at the House of Representatives. The attack which initially appears to be a deliberate brutal act is a direct attack on one of the country’s democratic institutions and should be denounced by all peace-loving citizens.

No political end or belief system can justify such dastardly act. We call on law enforcement authorities to exhaust all legal means to put the perpetrators to justice. We commiserate with the families of those who have been victimized by this brutal attack. We particularly mourn the death of a brother in faith, Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar who passed away as a result of the blast.

Occurring on the heels of the Glorietta blast and in the context of current political turmoil, the explosion will definitely add to the political instability the country is currently experiencing. More importantly, we call upon the media, politicians and other concerned parties to exercise caution in assigning blame to a particular group for the attack before a thorough investigation has been conducted. Let us not repeat the mistake of hurriedly blaming, arresting and incarcerating Muslims for all acts of terrorism (as many did after the Glorietta blast). Wrongly labeling or accusing a group as terrorists is as much a cowardly act as the attack on Congress itself.

We appeal to everyone to exercise sobriety and resolve. If the intent of this act is to sow fear, let us not be afraid. If the motive is to derail our resolve to fight corruption and injustice, let us be steadfast in our convictions.