Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Sunday, December 3, joined other lawmakers in calling for the government to bring hunt down the perpetrators of the gruesome bombing of civilians at the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City this morning.

Pimentel, in a statement, condemned the incident which he said “has no place in Philippine society.”

“This senseless act of violence that resulted in the loss of innocent lives and inflicted injuries upon several individuals is a grave affront to the principles of human dignity, peace, and mutual understanding that we hold dear,” Pimentel said.

“We call upon the government and all authorities to carry out a thorough investigation into this incident and bring those responsible to justice. Acts of violence should never go unpunished, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that our communities remain safe and secure places for all of us,” he added.

“At this moment of grief, let us reaffirm our commitment to peace and understanding, rejecting any form of violence and hatred that seeks to divide us,” the lawmaker stressed.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in a separate statement, echoed the sentiments of other lawmakers in condemning the “cowardly terrorist attack.”

“As vice chair of both Senate Committees on National Defense and Public Order, I call upon our law enforcement bodies to hunt down whoever is responsible and punish them with the full force of the law,” Go appealed.

“Moreover, acts of terrorism on educational institutions like the Mindanao State University, must be condemned,” he said.

Go also said that ensuring the safety of students in schools from terrorist threats is a paramount priority for fostering a secure learning environment.

“The function of terrorism is to terrorize people. If we allow ourselves to be terrorized, terrorists win. As such, we must remain united and should not allow this crime to trigger sectarian hatred and further animosity among Filipino people,” he said.

“Our brothers and sisters in Marawi have already emerged from the dark ashes of the Marawi Siege. We must not let another terrorist act derail efforts of achieving long-term peace and development in Marawi City, where people of different faiths have historically co-existed in harmony and mutual respect,” the legislator said.