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IlOILO CITY - Vietnam has backed out from the Philippine International Mathematics Competition which opened here yesterday due to the negative news reports generated by the Maguindanao massacre.
Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines executive vice president Rechilda Villame said the Socialist Republic of Vietnam did not push through with its participation in the competition because of its concern over the peace and order situation in the Philippines.
Villame said other countries had also expressed worry over the carnage that resulted in the deaths of at least 57 persons, including 30 journalists.
?Their impression (is) that it is happening all over the country because masyadong malala ang publicity abroad. But we were able to convince them that the venue is very far from the scene of the incident. So far, it's only Vietnam who did not trust us that it was this peaceful,? Villame told the Inquirer in an interview yesterday.
She said four other delegations backed out but not because of the Maguindanao massacre but due to financial constraints and the failure to secures visa.
