Duterte extends assistance to Basilan bombing victims

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte personally handed cash, checks and other assistance Thursday night to relatives of the victims who died when a bomb exploded Tuesday in a van in Lamitan town in Basilan.

The attack killed a child, three women, five Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) members, a soldier and the van driver. 

Duterte, accompanied by his special assistant Christopher Go, also visited those wounded and recuperating at Camp Navarro General Hospital inside the Western Mindanao Command headquarters in Zamboanga City. 

He gave P20,000 in cash assistance and checks worth P250,000 as financial assistance and new cellphones to the kin of the Armed Forces members who died as well as the Order of Lapu-Lapu Kalasag posthumous award, which is given to those who lost their lives as a result of participation to a campaign or advocacy of the President.

For the civilian victims, the Chief Executive handed P20,000 in cash, checks worth P50,000 as financial assistance and new cellphones. 

Those wounded got P10,000 in cash and P100,000 in checks as financial assistance. In addition, wounded military members were each given a new gun certificate. – With Roel Pareño