To All People of Good Will:
Greetings of Peace in the Lord!
True Believers in God have to cry out in outrage at the terrorist bombings in the town of Isulan, Province of Maguindanao. All religions are religions of peace.
Two bombings in the past five days have mercilessly snuffed out the lives of at least five innocent people, including two young men who are active in our Catholic youth ministry. Scores of others, equally innocent, have been wounded.
ISIS reportedly claimed responsibility for the first bombing. Some suspect the BIFF that had also pledged allegiance to ISIS. In either case, religion is distorted in order to commit brazen crimes that cry out to heaven.
As the Religious Leader of all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Cotabato, I absolutely condemn these terroristic acts. I enjoin every true believer in the One True God, by whatever Name the Almighty and Merciful God is called, to pray for the victims and for their families.
I strongly urge our military, security and peace officers with the collaboration of the MILF and the MNLF, now forces for peace, to flush out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
In our God of Peace,
+Orlando B. Cardinal Quevedo, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Cotabato
September 3, 2018
