26 February 2004 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert expressed the Philippine Government’s condemnation of the latest bus bombing that killed eight bus passengers and injured others in Jerusalem.  The Secretary said that no Filipinos were killed or injured in this attack.

“We condemn this latest act of violence and renew our belief and support for the peaceful solution embodied in the Middle East Road Map for Peace,” the Secretary said.

The Secretary said that the Department is in close contact with the Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv and that all Filipinos are safe. “Our embassy in Tel Aviv is always on the alert.  They work closely with the Israeli authorities and the Filipino community in ensuring the safety of Filipinos in Israel,” the Secretary said.

“While we grieve for the victims, I am glad to report that no Filipinos were killed or injured.  This shows that the measures taken by our embassy have remained effective,” the Secretary said.

Secretary Albert also said that she hoped that there will be no escalation of violence as a result of this latest attack. “We are always concerned over the possibility of a continued escalation of violence.  We hope the parties will encourage peaceful dialogue and discourage all efforts aimed at bringing about more violence,” the Secretary said.

The blast went off about 8:30 a.m., the peak of rush hour, last Sunday, as the packed public bus drove past a gas station in downtown Jerusalem. Several high school students were on the bus, and at least two of the dead were teenagers. Sunday is a regular weekday in Israel. END.