Britain warns against travel to Philippines

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines – The United Kingdom has warned its citizens against traveling to the Philippines, saying, “There is a high threat from terrorism throughout the Philippines.”

The advisory, posted on the Web site of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – https://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/philippines — was issued following Tuesday’s explosion in Cotabato City that left two people dead and 10 others wounded and which the military blamed on the Jemaah Islamiyah.

“Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity and the intent to carry out these attacks at anytime and anywhere in the country,” the advisory said.

“Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers. Such places could include, but are not limited to, airports, shopping malls, and places of worship,” it added.

For those on essential travel, the FCO said they should especially be cautious in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.

“We advise against all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao because of ongoing terrorist activity. There have been a number of attacks against civilian targets,” it said.

Lieutenant Colonel Prudencio Asto, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao, said Tuesday’s attack was carried out by JI recruits, particularly those trained by Basin Usman.

Usman, who was blamed for most major bomb attacks in Mindanao in recent years, was reportedly killed during a US drone strike in Pakistan in January last year.

But Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, Cotabato City administrator, said Tuesday’s explosion had nothing to do with terrorism based on the police’s findings.

“The angle seen by police is personal grudge and not terrorism. Jayvee Martinez [owner of the gunstore where the explosion took place] allegedly has personal grudges with his relatives over property issues. He allegedly sold all their properties and deprived relatives of their rights,” Sayadi told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone.

She described the UK’s latest travel warning as unfair.

The bombing occurred during the second day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and amid warnings by authorities about heightened terrorist activities.

The warning by the authorities was issued following the recovery of six homemade bombs fashioned from 80- and 60-millimeter mortar shells in the towns of Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat province, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao and in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato.