Annoying Local Behavior

[Dave Hounddriver]

19 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

was it not the NPA who kidnapped several people

Do not confuse the NPA with the Abu Sayyaf militants and the MILFs.  3 separate groups.  There are also smaller groups with names that are easily forgotten but only the Abu's and the MILF's post a dire threat to foreigners, AFAIK

[BrettGC]

33 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Do not confuse the NPA with the Abu Sayyaf militants and the MILFs.  3 separate groups.  There are also smaller groups with names that are easily forgotten but only the Abu's and the MILF's post a dire threat to foreigners, AFAIK

Yep.

NPA (New People's Army) - Communist rebels - generally targets government, military and PNP personnel.  They have in the past targeted foreigners but that was decades ago and once they realised this didn't do anything to garner international support, they stopped.  They're still very active in Negros Occidental and Oriental with running skirmishes against PI Army and PNP SAF still a regular occurrence close to where I live.   Relatives about 5km away were terrified by a night time fire fight in their barangay a few months ago, their were casualties on both sides.  

Abu Sayyaf - Islamic extremists - an offshoot of the MILF.  In recent years they jumped on the ISIL bandwagon and were actually a united force for a while and attracting fighters from all over the world to Mindanao.  Probably the highest profile of the 3 that Dave mentioned and they're the ones that like to behead westerners on camera.  With the decline of ISIL in West Asia, they appear to be becoming less relevant but still a very real threat to foreigners just the same.  Latest estimates put their numbers at less than 20 personnel. 

MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) - Islamic extremists - In years past, probably the most dangerous to anyone that wasn't Muslim regardless of nationality.  They were the most militant and well known of the Islamic extremists in PI for years.  In recent years they've softened their view and have been working with government to strengthen the independence of the autonomous zone.  They still do have some atrocities committed in their name, but they now publically disavow the perpetrators.  Still a threat to foreigners and particularly those of lighter skin.  

All three organisations have worked together and against each other over the years and the above is a very simplistic overview of the actual situation.  Yes, even the "Godless" communists have worked with the religious extremists to achieve their goals.  

I find them all annoying. 

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Do not confuse the NPA with the Abu Sayyaf militants and the MILFs.  3 separate groups.  There are also smaller groups with names that are easily forgotten but only the Abu's and the MILF's post a dire threat to foreigners, AFAIK

I'm sure a good few of us have fallen foul of MILFs. 

[Tommy T.]

2 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Do not confuse the NPA with the Abu Sayyaf militants and the MILFs.  3 separate groups.  There are also smaller groups with names that are easily forgotten but only the Abu's and the MILF's post a dire threat to foreigners, AFAIK

Thanks for the correction, Dave. I think I knew that, but forgot again.... Same self advice - keep as low a profile as possible seems to be key here...

[RBM]

On 5/9/2023 at 9:56 AM, jimeve said:

5 Filipinos come to my house asking for help with a cousin who needs money to go on a PNP course. So I told the wife and she came out with a large coke bottle filled with coins and said this is all we have 3k in coins.

So he accepted it and later he came back and said there is 3 hundred lacking. Wife gave the 3 hundred and he promised to repay once he started working with the police.

That was 2 years ago, told the wife stop giving money away but when 5 blokes come asking for help what do you do? Moving is not an option.

Plead poverty.....

[jimeve]

24 minutes ago, RBM said:

Plead poverty.....

I often do but they look at my 1998 Pajero and shake their heads and look elsewhere.

[Onemore52]

On 5/9/2023 at 3:39 PM, Tommy T. said:

So I think your logic is good... I will soon leave our dog to go loose always, like all the local dogs.... He can then fertilize and mate with all the other local dogs... That certainly makes sense to make sense with the other locals in this area... Why didn't I think of this before????

Sometimes I just don't follow the local logic.... Do as the locals do....

 

Looking at the photo of your dog, the puppies might be worth some serious money if you were to let him do what comes naturally for dogs.

 

 

 

[Mike J]

28 minutes ago, jimeve said:

I often do but they look at my 1998 Pajero and shake their heads and look elsewhere.

Same with our multicab van which is beat up on all four corners, looks a bit like it was driven through a small forest.   No way am I going to say who drives it. 

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

Same with our multicab van which is beat up on all four corners, looks a bit like it was driven through a small forest.   No way am I going to say who drives it. 

Yeah... that's why I continue to drive the 2005 Mazda I nurse along.... It runs fine, but the air/con just broke (again) and I am never sure when the main drive belt will break (again). And, in spite of L's admonitions, I usually wear somewhat ratty T-shirts and remove the Rolex....

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Onemore52 said:

if you were to let him do what comes naturally for dogs.

And foreigners? (So sorry... I could not resist!)