DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 05 September) – The city government on Monday offered a P2 million reward for those who can provide information that would help identify and arrest the perpetrators of the September 2 bombing at the Roxas night market that left 14 persons dead and injured 70 others.
Mayor Sara Duterte said the perpetrator must be presented to the authorities alive particularly because the real intent of the bomb explosion was to kill many people.
“It was meant to kill. It was an explosive. It was clearly an act of terrorism,” the City Information Office (CIO) quoted her as saying .
“We want him alive because we want all the necessary information we can get from him, ” she said. “We want to talk to him and find out who ordered the bombing and why it was carried out. We want to know who his cohorts are, their group, and their other terror plans.”
The mayor said city government provided a million pesos while the business sector offered another million to make the reward money P2 million.
“The business sector in Davao pledged to help run after the perpetrator because the bomb explosion also threatened their businesses,” the mayor said.
The mayor made the announcement Monday morning after she visited the wake of one of the victims, 27-year-old Kristia Gaile Bisnon, who had served as her private nurse when she experienced complications in her pregnancy. Bisnon’s remains were brought to her hometown in Tacurong City Monday.
The mayor said she was shocked to learn Bisnon was one of the victims.
“She was very dedicated to her work as a nurse,” she said. “Even when there was nothing to do, she would choose to stay awake and watch over me. She knew my needs, and always made sure that everything was taken cared of. I did not need to tell her what to do.”
On Saturday morning, Mayor Sara called on Dabawenyos to attend a memorial mass in the afternoon at the blast site.
“We will not be terrorized by this heinous crime,” she said, as she also called on Dabawenyos to “unite and let us help each other rise from this senseless incident.” (MindaNews)
