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Manila Condemns Bomb Attack in Jakarta
The Philippine government strongly condemned Tuesday the bomb attack on the official residence of the Philippine Ambassador to Jakarta that reportedly killed three and injured several others, including Ambassador Leonides Caday.
"We deplore in the strongest possible terms this apparent terrorist bombing at the residence of our ambassador in Jakarta," Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said in a statement.
Zamora said that while the perpetrators have yet to be identified, the Philippine government is confident Indonesian authorities are going to get to the bottom of this deplorable incident.
"The gruesome attack can only be described as dastardly and cowardly. Its perpetrators deserve the severest condemnation of the entire global community," he said.
Zamora, who is chairman of the Office of the President's Executive Committee, the government caretaker while Philippine President Joseph Estrada is on an official visit to the United States said he hoped the terrorist attack is not in any way connected with the current problem in Mindanao.
He said the president, who is now winding up his U.S. visit, has been informed of the incident and has expressed shock and regret over the matter.
Latest report from Jakarta through the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said Caday, a career diplomat and a former DFA undersecretary, is now in stable condition.
Caday, along with his Indonesian driver, suffered multiple injuries from the bomb blast.
Reports said the envoy's car was about to enter the residence at Jalan Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta at around 12:29 p.m. (5:29GMT) when the explosion occurred.
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