Việt Nam strongly condemns the terror attacks on a Catholic cathedral in the Jolo island city in the southern Philippine province of Sulu on January 27, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng has stated. — Photo THX |
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam strongly condemns the terror attacks on a Catholic cathedral in the Jolo island city in the southern Philippine province of Sulu on January 27, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng has stated.
“We extend deepest sympathies to the Philippine Government, people and families of the victims,” Hằng said while answering reporters’ queries on Việt Nam’s response to twin bombings in the Philippines, which left many dead and injured.
She stressed that Việt Nam supports the Philippine Government’s anti-terrorism efforts and believes that those behind the case will be punished properly.
The twin explosions happened after mass at 8am (local time), leaving as many as 20 dead and dozens injured. The victims were mostly government troops and civilians.
The bombings took place days after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a new law that paves the way for the creation of a wider autonomous region for Muslim Filipinos in Mindanao.
Although Muslims overwhelmingly approved the law, Sulu province, where Jolo is located, voted against the autonomous government.
The Philippine Commission on Elections had previously announced that the law was ratified following the approval of more than 1.5 million votes. — VNS