Vietnam strongly condemns the terror bomb attacks on a Catholic cathedral in Jolo island city in the southern Philippine province of Sulu on January 27, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang has stated. 

At the site of the bomb attacks

“We extend the deepest sympathy to the Philippine Government, people and families of the victims,” Hang said while answering reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s response to twin bombings in the Philippines, which left many people dead and injured. 

She stressed that Vietnam supports the Philippine Government’s anti-terrorism efforts and believes that masterminds 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. –VNA