MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has expressed solidarity with Sri Lanka after the South Asian country was rocked by a series of bombings that some Catholic bishops in the Philippines condemned and described as diabolic and blasphemous for being carried out on Easter Sunday.
As of last night, the number of casualties to 290 while more than 600 people had risen been injured in nine bombings that targeted Christian churches and hotels, according to news reports.
“We express our sincere solidarity and offer our heartfelt prayers to the citizens of Sri Lanka as well as to the other people who have been affected by this horrific (attacks)… on what should have been a day for solemn prayer and thoughtful introspection,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement issued following the attacks.
“As Sri Lanka currently sifts through the rubble and tries to find sense in this period of confusion and terror, we reiterate our expressions of support for our Asian neighbor, as well as to other countries who are dealing with the same evil deeds,” he added.
Satanic
Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Missions, said the bombings in Sri Lanka were “extremely evil” and deserved “universal condemnation in this world and in the world to come.”
“The timing of the act alone is blasphemous because it happened on Easter Sunday, when all are raised to eternal life because Christ our head is risen,” Bastes said.
“The choice of the places targeted was absolutely diabolic because people were gathered to thank God for giving us a glorious life without end. Even the hotels where the murderers committed suicide were not spared because many of the victims stayed there to enjoy the day of the Lord’s resurrection,” Bastes added. – Evelyn Macairan, Pia Lee-Brago, Emmanuel Tupas, Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe