Southern Cebu terrorism threat again. True or False?

[Old55]

UK, updated their travel warnings for Mindanao, Palawan and Southern Cebu up to including Dalaguete & Babian once again today August 14.

I asked my sister in law about Cebu she laughed. What the heck is Southern Cebu on a risk area list for?

We plan to visit Palawan someday soon.

[Kuya John]

Old55

Checked out the UK Foreign Office advice no mention of Cebu or Southern Cebu as a potential threat

We have already booked tickets for our flights to Manila and I was hoping to spend a few days in Oslob Cebu

as well as a visit to family in Mindanao.

Edited August 14, 2018 by Kuya John

[Old55]

ABS-CBN August 14 0106 hrs

I’m using my phone can’t direct link the news article.

Frankly don’t hold much fear but I don’t know all the facts.

[sonjack2847]

6 hours ago, Old55 said:

UK, updated their travel warnings for Mindanao, Palawan and Southern Cebu up to including Dalaguete & Babian once again today August 14.

I asked my sister in law about Cebu she laughed. What the heck is Southern Cebu on a risk area list for?

We plan to visit Palawan someday soon.

I don`t remember this advice ever not being given,the last time I visited my wife`s family I was told by the embassy warden that I should not have gone.They live in Babayungen which is in the hills of Dalaguete.I doubt any of these people giving advice have ever even been here.

[Jack Peterson]

17 minutes ago, sonjack2847 said:

We plan to visit Palawan someday soon.

***** https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#label/EMBASSY+UK/FMfcgxvxBXwcLTWHLfbcNpvgmwLBNWph ****

Philippines travel advice

3:03pm, 13 August 2018: Latest update: Terrorism section (Kidnapping) – addition of information; the local authorities in Palawan have recently warned the public of a heightened risk from kidnapping; if in the area, you should follow the advice of local security and remain vigilant at all times

 

 best left for a while methinks 

Jack 

 Morning all 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Not sure about Cebu, but I just got a warning from the US Embassy for Palawan:

United States Embassy Manila, Philippines

 
Security Alert - U.S. Embassy Manila, Philippines, August 14, 2018
Location: Palawan
Event: The Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines posted the following information on their official Facebook page: Western Command remains on heightened alert and continues to tighten its security posture in Palawan against all forms of threats, amidst circulating information on probable kidnapping in the Province

[Dave Hounddriver]

Quote

 

Except for "essential travel," British nationals are also discouraged from traveling to southern Cebu, "up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian, due to the threat of terrorism."

London also warned its citizens that "there's a high incidence of street crime and robbery throughout the Philippines. You should take sensible precautions."

 

Link

(Full text of link in spoiler in case the link goes dead at some future point)

Spoiler

August 14, 2018
THE British government on Tuesday, August 14, issued an updated travel advisory advising its nationals against traveling to Palawan because of a heightened risk from kidnapping.

In a statement posted on its official website gov.uk, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also advised against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.

Except for "essential travel," British nationals are also discouraged from traveling to southern Cebu, "up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian, due to the threat of terrorism."

London also warned its citizens that "there's a high incidence of street crime and robbery throughout the Philippines. You should take sensible precautions."

The statement warned that prison sentences in the Philippines are severe.

"The judicial system can result in long-term detention until a court hearing takes place. Detention facilities are far below UK standards. Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind. Penalties for importing and using illegal drugs are particularly severe," it added.

The British government noted that martial law is in place in Mindanao until end-2018 while a "state of national emergency emergency on account of lawless violence" remains in place across the rest of the country.

"Expect random checkpoints, security patrols and a more visible routine security presence. You should cooperate with the Philippine authorities and allow extra time to pass through security checks. Make sure you carry a form of identification with you," the advisory stated.

British citizens were warned that terrorist groups have continued to plan attacks "anytime and anywhere in the country," including in Manila.

"There’s been an increase in kidnapping of foreign nationals, including attacks targeting foreigners and tourists since late 2015. Terrorist groups continue to plan kidnap operations against western nationals in the Philippines," the British government stated.

"This threat extends throughout the Philippines, both on land and at sea, but is particularly acute in the southern Philippines (Mindanao, Palawan and central Visayas, including Siquijor and Dumaguete)," it added.

The same advisory noted, however, that most of the visits by British nationals to the Philippines have been "trouble-free." Around 154,000 British nationals visited the Philippines in 2015. (SunStar Philippines)

 

[Gas]

2 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

I doubt any of these people giving advice have ever even been here.

 you hit the nail on the head. 

[Jack Peterson]

2 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

.I doubt any of these people giving advice have ever even been here.

 Yes kev that may be true of the UK but we should remember that the UK Embassy here is manned to a large extent by Filipinos apart from the Top and they give reports to the UK that are sent out. My contact there is from Cebu and has just returned from the Visayas after a fact find mission so they do get about. In any event we should all read and be guided by these warnings for our own safety. I for one, would hate to be "told you so" should I go and get captured  

[Gator]

16 hours ago, Old55 said:

UK, updated their travel warnings for Mindanao, Palawan and Southern Cebu up to including Dalaguete & Babian once again today August 14.

I asked my sister in law about Cebu she laughed. What the heck is Southern Cebu on a risk area list for?

We plan to visit Palawan someday soon.

An acquaintance who works at one of the American alphabet soup agencies told me a while back that Cebu is added because it’s a transit route to other terrorist hot spot areas. Also they frequently shelter terrorists who are in transit and ghost guns (mostly made in Danao) are easy for them to acquire there.