CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines –The Council for Climate and Conflict Action Asia (CCAA) warned against a disturbing increase in hate speech following the deadly bombing in Marawi City on Sunday morning, December 3.

“Let us be vigilant but not vigilantes,” said the CCAA, adding that its Early Response Network (ERN) has reported a rise in calls for revenge and hate speech on the ground and social media.

“We also call for calm and reflection amidst attempts to polarize the situation and sow the seeds of a Muslim-Christian conflict,” the group said.

The bombing killed at least four people and hurt 45 others, mostly students who were attending a Catholic Mass in a gym of the state-run Mindanao State University (MSU), an 11:15 am police report showed.

CCAA joined groups that condemned the bombing, but pointed out that it was still “too early” to draw conclusions or point fingers towards any group or individual.

“It is too early to draw conclusions or to point fingers towards any individual or group. Instead let us act together to ease the sorrow of the victims’ families and the pain of the wounded and traumatized,” the group said.

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Formerly the International Alert Philippines, the CCAA called for calm amid what it said were attempts to polarize and “sow the seeds of a Muslim-Christian conflict.”

In a statement on Sunday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the public to “remain calm, circumspect, and conscientious in our collective efforts to ensure that the horrific events of this morning are not further compounded by inaccurate, unvetted, and unofficial information.”

But the President also blamed “foreign terrorists” for the incident, without elaborating. – Rappler.com