Dapitan beheading

[gm47]

So there I was in Dumaguete last week, looking at taking the ferry to Dapitan then get to Dipolog for a night before getting a bus to Ozamiz.

Then I read the news of 1 of the kidnapped 3 local Dapitan officials was beheaded cos his ransom was not paid.

I had had already booked my hotel in Dipolog and requested a shuttle collection from the ferry to the town. After reading the bad news I phoned the hotel to confirm that they would pick me up but of course they had no transport/drivers available.

As I arrive at the port after 8pm on my own, I thought if there are no taxis which there isn't, my white skin standing there alone with no transport might not help me. If they kidnap local officials then maybe I could be an even better target for money, I thought about it and although I would have probably been ok I decided that I would take the easier way by flying back to Manila and then onto Ozamiz.

I didnt fancy my head head not being part of the rest of me, my family wouldn't pay any more than a £5 ransom so any bravado I had went out of the window 👍

[Michael Parnham]

Don't really know what to say, but interesting!

[stevewool]

When traveling anywhere in the world these days its all about planning, sometimes when you do this something may go wrong,
But you did best, you went with your gut feelings,
Maybe that may have saved you or then again if you had stayed , it may have been the best choice you have ever made , who knows

[SimonH]

There was me worrying about where to go for Sunday lunch

[stevewool]

There was me worrying about where to go for Sunday lunch

Cosmo today for us , daughters coming down form Yorkshire and the other two are already here, i wonder what the occasion is, as there dad i am always last to know, but as there dad i am always the first to be asked to pay for it ,
Thats the time i need to go to the loo, its my age i tell them

[grahamw48]

I've just been watching a Grizzly Bear killing another younger one, then later, a seal. Nice lunchtime TV.

[London_Manila]

Mindanao so no surprises there
Yes i know its as safe as houses and many of you have been living there for years without any problems but i will go with the UK'S government advise about avoiding this part of the Philippines......

Travel advisories are there for a reason and not made up on the spare of the moment

The left hand side of the island is dodgy but the right hand side of the island is ok

[stevewool]

The left hand side of the island is dodgy but the right hand side of the island is ok

So if i am looking from the south, is it the right hand side or in i am looking from the north is it right but thats the left if i am coming from the other direction,

[Iani]

The left hand side of the island is dodgy but the right hand side of the island is ok

Same as the UK really. Left hand side - Lancashire, Wales, Sellafield, Blackpool. Right hand side - Yorkshire, Home Counties, Eastbourne........

[London_Manila]

So if i am looking from the south, is it the right hand side or in i am looking from the north is it right but thats the left if i am coming from the other direction,

Left hand side of the island looking at any normal map

map ----LEFT ---------------------CENTER ---------------------------RIGHT----------------

Make sure the map is not upside down

The right hand side of the island is not totally risk free either
Davao's airport has been bombed before killing 19 people
3 bombs and made a right mess

Would you normally visit an island where Muslim extremists are living with a proven track record
of Kidnapping murder and beheadings ?

Foreigners are especially sought after

[stevewool]

Would you normally visit an island where Muslim extremists are living with a proven track record
of Kidnapping murder and beheadings ?

Foreigners are especially sought after

You would be surprised how many think thats paradise, look how many are leaving England to go to places like what you are saying

[grahamw48]

Same as the UK really. Left hand side - Lancashire, Wales, Sellafield, Blackpool. Right hand side - Yorkshire, Home Counties, Eastbourne........

Can't argue with that.

[London_Manila]

You would be surprised how many think thats paradise, look how many are leaving England to go to places like what you are saying

I would imagine a lot more people want to enter the UK than leave it

[Dabawenyo]

The right hand side of the island is not totally risk free either Davao's airport has been bombed before killing 19 people3 bombs and made a right mess

Yes and as recently as 6th March 2003 and, in the interest of accuracy, it was one bomb killing 21 people, not three bombs killing 19. However on 7th July 2005, Islamic extremists detonated 3 bombs in London which killed 52 people: does that stop you from visiting London and travelling on its underground railway network or buses? I would very much doubt it. You are almost certainly at less risk of being a victim of crime in Davao than you are in London, Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham. And that's not opinion, it's fact!

[grahamw48]

Good point.

I most certainly feel less safe when in London than when anywhere in the Phils.

[Tawi2]

Left hand side of the island looking at any normal map

map ----LEFT ---------------------CENTER ---------------------------RIGHT----------------

Make sure the map is not upside down

The right hand side of the island is not totally risk free either
Davao's airport has been bombed before killing 19 people
3 bombs and made a right mess

Would you normally visit an island where Muslim extremists are living with a proven track record
of Kidnapping murder and beheadings ?

Foreigners are especially sought after

I was in Davao when someone threw a grenade in the old airport,but i also remember when someone threw a grenade onto the overhead train in manila,horses for courses.

[primdale]

Same as the UK really. Left hand side - Lancashire, Wales, Sellafield, Blackpool. Right hand side - Yorkshire, Home Counties, Eastbourne........

nothing wrong with wales.
whats the saying.

yorkshire born
yorkshire bred
strong in the arm
weak in the head

[grahamw48]

'Thick in the head' .

[jonnijon]

Yes and as recently as 6th March 2003 and, in the interest of accuracy, it was one bomb killing 21 people, not three bombs killing 19. However on 7th July 2005, Islamic extremists detonated 3 bombs in London which killed 52 people: does that stop you from visiting London and travelling on its underground railway network or buses? I would very much doubt it. You are almost certainly at less risk of being a victim of crime in Davao than you are in London, Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham. And that's not opinion, it's fact!

Well said. There are white guys running their own business's in Zamboanga with no problems.

[London_Manila]

Yes and as recently as 6th March 2003 and, in the interest of accuracy, it was one bomb killing 21 people, not three bombs killing 19. However on 7th July 2005, Islamic extremists detonated 3 bombs in London which killed 52 people: does that stop you from visiting London and travelling on its underground railway network or buses? I would very much doubt it. You are almost certainly at less risk of being a victim of crime in Davao than you are in London, Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham. And that's not opinion, it's fact!

I live in London and did i ever say it was safe ?
Its only a matter of time until London gets attacked again from the same people as last time

I live and work here and have done all my life so there's not much i can do it....

As for visiting a part of the Philippines where the UK's government advises against going there is just looking for trouble. Muslim extremists are always getting up to something in Mindanao Island so please dont try and tell me its safe.

Abu Syyaf makes no secret of the fact that it actively targets foreigners and whiteys there stick out like a sore thumb................

[Tawi2]

Well said. There are white guys running their own business's in Zamboanga with no problems.

They used to have an entry book at Zambo airport you used to sign when you landed if you were white or foreigner,you signed it when you left just so they could keep track of you

[Iani]

Abu Syyaf makes no secret of the fact that it actively targets foreigners and whiteys there stick out like a sore thumb................

That's exactly it.
London has a bombing - well it's about 8 and a half millon people targetted. White black and any number of colour in-between, the place is so mixed up it's very difficult to target specific groups. It used to be said even when I was a kid that if you were a bit different, a punk in your town, go to London and you'd not stick out anymore because so many others were just as "weird".

Whitey in Mindanao - you stick out. Period. Yes it may be safe, but in such a mono asian population, YOU are the most obvious target. Do the maths.
Is it safe - I haven't a clue