Philippines joins worldwide condemnation of Norway attacks

The Philippines on Saturday joined governments worldwide in condemning the attacks that claimed 91 lives in Norway, home to 16,000 Filipinos and peace talks with the Asian country’s Maoist rebels.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has been told there were no known Filipino victims of the gun and bomb attacks on Friday, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez.

“The secretary of Foreign Affairs states the Philippines deplores the tragic twin attacks in Norway and extends his condolences to the Norwegian government and people,” Hernandez told Agence France Presse.

“As of this time, initial report from our embassy in Oslo … states there are no Filipinos adversely affected by the recent bombing and shooting incidents,” Hernandez added.

Del Rosario is attending a regional security meeting in Indonesia.

Added sadness

“We sympathize with the families of (those) who perished in the attack and we would like to send our sympathies to them,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on state-run radio dzRB.

“There is an added sadness … because they are the third-party facilitator in our peace talks,” Valte said.

Oslo has been hosting peace talks this year between the Philippine government and Maoist rebels waging a deadly, 42-year-old armed rebellion in the Southeast Asian nation.

Valte said Filipinos may check on their loved ones in Norway through the DFA hotline, 834-4444. Reports from AFP and Norman Bordadora