EDITORIAL - Soft target

As of yesterday, investigators still had no leads on the motive for the deadly bombing at an upscale shopping mall in Cagayan de Oro late Friday night. The blast at a bistro killed six people including a provincial board member of Misamis Oriental, and wounded scores of others, many of whom were attending a convention of physicians.

Probers said the explosion appeared to have been caused by an improvised explosive device. This became difficult to establish, however, after the blast site was reportedly cleaned up, with lawmen posing no objections.

It was the first incident of its kind in Cagayan de Oro, a popular travel destination and gateway to the scenic attractions of Misamis and Bukidnon. The explosion raised concern from the World Medical Association about the safety of physicians visiting the Philippines.

No place in the world is completely safe from violent attacks, but countries are judged by their response to such threats. The best reassurance that the government can give to the world is a thorough, competent investigation that will lead to the capture and punishment of the perpetrators. Alongside the manhunt should be the implementation of measures to prevent similar attacks not only in Cagayan de Oro but also in other major cities.

The perpetrators went after a soft target and clearly intended to bring grievous harm, picking a public place on Friday night when such dining areas are most crowded. More attacks cannot be ruled out. This gives urgency to the manhunt, which should also yield the brains and clearly establish the motive for the bombing. There is no excuse for this atrocity and the manhunt should be relentless.