THE House of Representatives has adopted a resolution strongly condemning the Sunday bombing of a Catholic mass celebration by students of the Mindanao State University in Marawi, Lanao del Sur last Sunday, emphasizing the urgency to expedite the investigation and subsequent prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime.

Lawmakers passed House Resolution No. 1504 introduced by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, and Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Jude Acidre, and Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong.

“The House of Representatives condemns this act of violence perpetrated against innocent students and undertaken in a place of learning. I condole with the families of those who died and sympathize with those injured in the blast,” Romualdez said.

On December 3, 2023, a powerful explosion ripped through the Dimaporo Gymnasium in MSU that instantly claimed four lives and severely injured many people, particularly students.

The resolution described the event as an extremely disturbing, appalling and tragic event which occurred in a place of learning and fellowship and during Sunday service, jeopardizing the peace process the Government has initiated in Mindanao, and disrupting the peace and security of the communities in the region.

“It was reported that the terrorist attack happened after military actions against local terrorist groups in the region resulted to the death of a group leader of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute group, a group linked to the ISIS that previously attempted to establish Marawi as part of the caliphate resulting in a five-month conflict causing numerous casualties in 2017,” the resolution read.

“There is an urgent need for a thorough investigation of this incident by the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, and all government agencies concerned, to determine the perpetrators of these senseless and horrific killings,” it added.

The bigger chamber expressed its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims, and is committed to support the affected residents to ensure that those responsible for this heinous act are brought to justice.

“Acts of lawlessness, violence and terroristic activities, resulting to violent killings especially of innocent people, destruction of property, and disruption of public order and safety should never be tolerated, and have to be suppressed and eradicated in order to promote lasting peace and prosperity in Mindanao,” the resolution said.