GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Cotabato Archbishop Emeritus Orlando Cardinal Quevedo condemned the grenade attack at a Catholic chapel in Cotabato City on Sunday morning, May 19.

In a statement on Monday, May 20, Quevedo said, “The dastardly bombing of a Catholic chapel is a horrendous sacrilegious act that cries out to heaven.”

Quevedo is a member of the Council of Leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), representing the Christian settler communities. He is also a former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The attack took place around 10:30 am during a Sunday gathering at the Santo Niño Chapel along De Mazenod Avenue in Barangay Rosary Heights 3, Cotabato City.

The explosion injured 65-year-old Rosita Tubilo and Marivel Atis, 40. The two were rushed to a hospital where they were treated for minor injuries.

Quevedo’s statement read, “The holy Qur’an declares to the whole world that we share the Common Word, ‘Love of neighbor.’

“The crime is doubly condemnable when committed against neighbors gathered to worship God in a sacred place.

“The Grand Mufti of the premier Islamic University in Egypt has condemned religious terrorists as false Muslims.”

Quevedo urged authorities to bring those behind the attack to justice.

Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao also condemned the attack and announced that the city government will reward anyone who can help lead authorities to the attacker.

“We have a huge reward to offer… We must not cower in fear; we must fight violence,” Matabalao said.

In a press briefing, Cotabato City police chief Colonel Querubin Manalang said their investigation revealed that the grenade had “a low order of detonation.”

“Had the grenade gone off with a high order of detonation, there would have been fatalities since there were many people inside the chapel,” Manalang said.

He said they already have a lone male suspect, who was seen by witnesses and caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV) lobbing the grenade into the chapel.

The suspect sped off on a motorcycle after throwing the M-26 grenade, police said.

Manalang did not name the suspect but pointed out that they will file a case of frustrated murder against the perpetrator, “whom we have already positively identified.”

By using a grenade, he had the intention to kill, Manalang said. – Rappler.com