Senators seek justice for victims in Vancouver Filipino festival attack

Senators on Monday expressed condolences and called for justice for the victims of the attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day Filipino festival in Vancouver, Canada over the weekend that left at least 11 people dead.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero lamented the day that should have been a celebration of heroism and freedom has turned into a moment of despair.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this shocking and horrific incident, whose perpetrator and possible accomplices should be brought to justice and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Escudero said.

“There is no place in this world for such horrible acts of violence and I trust that the Canadian law enforcement agencies will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is served,” he added.

Escudero urged the Philippine Consulate and other Embassy officials in Vancouver and Canada to extend all assistance possible to Filipino victims and their families, and to ensure that there are steps to be undertaken to prevent another similar incident from happening again.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also condemned what she called to be an “act of senseless and cruel violence” committed against people who were peacefully celebrating Filipino culture and heritage.

“Sa ating mga kababayan sa Canada: Hindi kayo nag-iisa. Nandito kami para sa inyo. Kasama niyo kami sa pagdadalamhati, sa paghahanap ng hustisya, at sa pag-bangon,” she said.

Senator Loren Legarda called the incident as a “heinous attack” as she expressed her condolences to the victims, their families, and the Filipino community in British Columbia.

“Lapulapu Day is a symbol of courage, unity, and resilience — values that must inspire us to stand together against hatred and violence. We call on the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and to bring justice to all those affected,” she said.

Like his colleagues, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian expressed sympathies to the victims and assured “full support” in calling for a “swift and thorough” investigation to hold the person involved accountable.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III offered his thoughts and prayers to the victim of the tragedy.

“We grieve alongside our kababayans abroad, and we offer our support to those affected by this heart-wrenching tragedy,” Pimentel said in a statement,.

He also called for a thorough investigation to ensure justice is served, with hopes of preventing such incidents in the future.

According to a Reuters report, Canadian prosecutors have charged a 30-year-old Vancouver resident with murder for killing at least 11 people aged between 5 and 65 and injuring dozens after he rammed an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in the western Canadian city.

The Department of Migrant Workers earlier in the day said it is ready to provide all the necessary assistance and support to the victims of the incident in line with its mandate to ensure the safety and wellness of Overseas Filipino Workers. —AOL, GMA Integrated News