Pinoys urged to stay at home after Sri Lanka bombings kill 290 people



Community leaders urged Filipinos in Sri Lanka to stay at home in the meantime for safety after a series of bombings of churches and hotels left at least 290 people dead and about 500 others wounded on Sunday.
“Nanginig po kami, kasi first time namin makaranas nito... 'Yung asosasyon namin, mga [Filipino] groups namin sa Facebook, [napag-usapan namin na] kung maaari, huwag na muna papasok sa trabaho, mag-stay muna sa kani-kanilang tahanan,” Jenny Verdillo of the Association of Filipinos in Sri Lanka told GMA News TV's Balitanghali in a phone interview on Monday.
According to Verdillo, most of the 3,000 Filipinos in Sri Lanka, including those who are married to Sri Lankans, are mostly engineers, technicians and managers of companies. 
Verdillo also disclosed said that the Filipinos were fortunate since the site of one bombing incident was not frequented by Filipinos as it is too far from where most of them reside.
“Mayroon rin po [na nagpupunta roon], pero at that time na naganap iyon, mga 8:05 a.m. po, [eh] usually, 9 to 10 a.m. kami nagpupunta sa simbahan. Kaya po at that time, wala pong Pilipino ang andun,” Verdillo said.
“Hindi po [kami roon madalas]. Sa St. Mary po kami pumupunta. Hindi po kami masyado roon [sa lugar kung saan may sumabog] kasi malayo po sa amin,” Verdillo added.
Verdillo however assured Filipinos who have relatives in Sri Lanka that they have nothing to worry about.
“Sa mga pamilya [ng mga narito], huwag po kayo mag-alala. Naka-alalay po kami rito. Wala pong nadamay [sa amin]. Kung mayroon man pong nadamay ay rumeresponde po kami kaagad, tumutulong, at ipinapaalam po agad sa pamilya,” Verdillo said.
“'Yung [Philippine] Consulate, tumatawag po sa amin ang kanilang staff, tinatanong po kung anong nangyayari sa amin. Naa-access naman ang kalagayan namin ng consulate, kaya huwag po silang mag-alala,” Verdillo added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said there have been no reports of any Filipinos hurt or killed in the explosions.
The government of Sri Lanka declared a curfew on Sunday after the blasts, but this was lifted on Monday, according to reports from Reuters.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks on two churches and four hotels in and around Colombo. —Llanesca T. Panti/KG, GMA News

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