Even a lot of Filipinos from Manila won't travel to Mindanao because of these stories about Abu Sayaaf - when there is probably more chance of them being killed in some shooting/bus incident in Manila than being kidnapped in Mindanao. It's got more to do with the people that have never been there spreading rumours than the actual risk.

@London Manila - just in case you don't know -Abu Sayaaf can travel by plane/boat too, so Manila is no safer than Mindanao.