EDITORIAL – We have been introduced to terrorism

The past few days, the spectre of terrorism had Cebuanos on tenterhooks. Terrorism, which used to be a concern mainly of Manila, being the capital and most densely populated area in the country, and of Mindanao, being the hotbed of a Muslim rebellion, has finally found its way here.

While luckily no violence has so far been associated with our introduction to terrorism, the introduction was nevertheless harrowing. We are like moths dancing around a flame, getting acquainted with the heat, but so far not yet singed.

First, two Indonesians were caught, calling attention to themselves when they tried to dispose of the body of a compatriot who died of a heart attack. Our ignorance over these matters quickly led us believe that, as Indonesians, they were terrorists.

Cebuanos should, of course, apologize to the Indonesian people for the unfair conclusion of putting two and two together. We were wrong. The two were seajackers, not terrorists. The distinction did not help, though. Our teeth already rattled at the erroneous thought.

As if by dubious consolation to our frustrated fears, a package containing a real bomb was left outside a mall by two Muslim Filipinos who were later gunned down by police when they opened fire when accosted.

Lucky for us that the package containing the bomb was discovered before it could explode, to possibly harm countless innocent people. But that was it. We have been introduced. We have seen real terrorism in the face.

Right now, officials must be scrambling to address the threat. We can no longer sit idly by and watch the rest of the world coming to grips with a real phenomenon. That we have emerged from our introduction to terrorism unscathed should be taken as a headstart in our favor.

But we should sprint ahead. We cannot wait until something really happens before we start taking crash courses in the lesson the rest of the world is trying to learn. There is a real war going on and we must be on a war footing ourselves.