MOTC-BARMM Minister Hermoso also condemns bus bombing

We strongly condemn the recent IED explosion inside the back portion of Rural Tours Bus with body no. 10738 that resulted in the wounding of at least four civilian passengers. The bus was on its way to Pagadian from Cotabato City.

This dastardly act happened at a time when we are beginning to reap the fruits of peace brought about by the establishment of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The Ministry of Transportion and Communication (MOTC), in pursuit of its mandate of connecting people and facilitating the movement of goods and services in BARMM has worked hard with other government agencies and the private transport sector to open the travel routes that would connect BARMM to the other regions in Mindanao. This is crucial in bringing about peace and development to a region recovering from several decades of armed conflict that stunted its economic growth and mired its people deeper into poverty.

This newly opened bus route was greeted with so much enthusiasm and hope for a better mobility of people and goods especially in the Bangsamoro.

We are certain that the perpetrators will be caught and made to answer to their evil act as we express our belief and faith in the strong resolve and efficiency of the security sector. We are also certain that this is just a temporary setback in our march to development and peace.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC-BARMM) shall not be deterred as we reaffirm our commitment to work even harder towards a fast, efficient, reliable and safe transportation system especially in BARMM.

DICKSON P. HERMOSO

Minister, MOTC-BARMM