Top UN official, Chinese leader denounce blast

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a group photo session for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

UN SECRETARY General Ban Ki-moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping have condemned the bomb attack in Davao City on Friday and expressed support for President Duterte’s moves against those responsible.

A UN statement said Ban stressed the “need to ensure accountability and to bring to justice the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks.”

“The secretary general extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. He stands with the government and people of the Philippines,” it said.

In a letter to Mr. Duterte released by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, Xi said he was shocked to learn about the explosion in Davao that left 14 dead and scores injured.

“China is firmly opposed to terrorism in all forms and strongly condemn the violent terrorist acts targeting innocent civilians,” Xi said.

Earlier, the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia have warned its citizens to exercise extreme caution when traveling to Mindanao.

The European Union, Japan and France had earlier expressed condolences to the victims of the bloody terrorist attack in Davao. Estrella Torres