Pinay hurt in Bangkok blast; PH cops on alert

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday confirmed that a Filipino woman was one of the injured in the bomb blast in Bangkok on Monday that killed 22 people, including nine foreigners, and left 123 wounded.

“She sustained injury to her hearing due to the blast,” said Assistant Secretary Charles Jose, the DFA spokesperson.

“She is in Bangkok with the foreign family she works for,” said Jose. He said the victim had requested that her personal details not be revealed.

Reuters, quoting Thai officials, earlier reported that a Filipino was among the Asians who were killed. No details were given.

The Philippines has joined the international community in condemning the Bangkok bombing.

“The Philippines deplores the horrific bombing near a popular Hindu temple in Bangkok where innocent lives have been lost. The bombing apparently has the intention to sow terror and we condemn this act in the strongest terms,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement.

“The Philippines stands in solidarity with the government and people of Thailand at this trying moment,” he said.

In Malacañang, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the Philippines “[condemned] the bomb attack that killed and wounded scores of tourists, commuters and residents.”

“This violent incident underlines the need for solidarity against those who sow terror and inflict violence,” he said in a statement.

Del Rosario advised Filipinos in Bangkok to remain calm and to observe precautions to ensure their safety.

Local police officials yesterday said the Philippine National Police was intensifying its monitoring of known threat groups in the wake of the Bangkok bombing.

In particular, the Directorate for Intelligence and Directorate for Operations are stepping up their information-gathering, said PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor.

“Director Generoso Cerbo Jr., head of the Directorate for Intelligence, has ordered all intelligence units to conduct intensified monitoring and information gathering to deter any persons or group of persons who may take advantage of the situation,” said Mayor.

He said police monitoring of threat groups included the usual targets of the PNP’s criminality campaign, although it was now prioritizing the monitoring of threats related to the Bangkok blast, specifically terrorist threats, but he did not name any groups that would be the likely source of such threats.

Mayor said there was no specific threat seen so far in the aftermath of the Bangkok explosion.

The PNP won’t be raising its alert levels as they see no need for it yet, he said.

But the PNP is ready to respond to any situation and its intelligence personnel are out there monitoring events on the ground, he said.

“The Directorate for Operations has directed all units to be alert and vigilant and assures the public that the PNP is ready. This is the reason for the emphasis on police visibility, for policemen to be on the streets,” Mayor said.