A. Historical Overview
As we all know, the City of Davao is considered as the ‘Most Peaceful City in the Philippines’ and ranked 87th fastest growing City in the world. Even so, it has experienced various terrifying events in the past with innocent civilians as victims: locals and foreigners; Christians, Muslims, and Lumads; adults, women and children. All of these acts were considered Terrorism based on available literature.
The Commemorative Monument of Peace and Unity in Davao City with the Legislative Building in the background.
To enumerate, the first recorded violence attributed to terrorism in Davao City was on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1981 at the Roman Catholic San Pedro Cathedral – 17 were killed and more than 150 were wounded in a grenade attack. Another grenade attack on the same cathedral happened on December 27, 1993 – 6 died and at least 130 more were wounded. The third attack was in 1995 known as the All Souls Day bombing – a dozen were killed and about 100 wounded. San Pedro Cathedral is just across the road from the SP Building of Davao City.
Terrorism has only became a serious topic after the 9/11 attack in the United States. For Davao City, post 9/11 attacks also became more violent and serious. Topping the list is the bombing of Davao International Airport on March 4, 2003 where a homemade bomb exploded at the waiting shed fronting the Davao International Airport killing 21 and wounding at least 146. Less than a month later, 17 people were killed and more than 70 were injured when a bomb exploded near a barbecue stand in a row of food stalls by the Sasa Wharf ferry terminal on April 2, 2003.
So far, the last recorded incident considered as terrorist attack in Davao City was the Valentine's Day bombing that killed a 12 year-old boy and injured five others when a bomb exploded at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal on February 14, 2005. This bombing was simultaneously instigated in Makati City and General