Bishop wants Basilan under martial rule after blasts

A Basilan-based bishop on Wednesday asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to place the province under martial rule following the series of bombings there Tuesday that killed more than a dozen people. “It’s time really for some real action. Right now the important is to stop this madness," said Isabela, Basilan bishop Martin Jumoad in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. He said the situation in his diocese is beyond what local police can do. “We really need help. Yesterday’s attacks caused me more to clamor for it [martial law]." Jumoad made a similar call last December after Abu Sayyaf bandits, who were also blamed for Tuesday’s attacks, beheaded one of three hostages they were holding then. Three separate explosions rocked Basilan between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday, killing 14 people, three of them Marine soldiers who responded to one of the bombings. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now mulling putting the province under its control following the attacks.

Anti-Terror Council In Malacañang, President Arroyo ordered the convening of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to look into the bombing incident. Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said President Arroyo called him up Tuesday to give the order. ATC is under the Office of the Executive Secretary. The ATC would review the situation and determine what more could be done to address the issue, according to Mendoza. The Council will also unmask the Abu Sayyaf members behind the attack and determine if it was election-related. "Because of what happened in Basilan, we might to do some rapid assessment and do some adjustments also," he said. He added that the bombings could be "a desperate and perverse attempt of the Abu Sayyaf to demand continued recognition." Vigilance Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party), meanwhile, called for vigilance in Basilan to ensure that the bombings had nothing to do with the upcoming elections. "Tingnan din natin kung itong mga bagay na ito ay may kinalaman sa eleksyon, dapat alisto tayo, dapat tayo ay handa, siguraduhin natin na itong eleksyon na ito ay maging malinis at maayos," Villar told reporters before his speech at the commencement exercise of the Perpetual Help College of Manila held at the Philippine International Convention Center. (Let’s determine if those bombings were election-related. We should always be on alert. We should ensure that the May elections would be clean and orderly.) Masses suspended Meanwhile, Jumoad said regular Masses at the Basilan Cathedral have been suspended indefinitely after the structure sustained heavy damage due to the bombing. "We will not allow any activities to be done inside the cathedral for the meantime depending on the assessment of structural experts," he said, adding that rehabilitation efforts would be done immediately to make sure the cathedral is safe for churchgoers." — with Amita Legaspi/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV