I have some rules that I live by. One of my rules is that I don’t become involved in Philippine Politics. As a guest here in the Philippines, the political situation here is not my concern, and it is not my place to tell Filipinos how to run their own country. Today, I am going to stretch that rule a bit. I don’t think I am breaking the rule, but I am getting right up to the edge.
Some situations, though dictate that one cannot remain silent. Sometimes a person must stand up and be heard. By speaking out, I am not advising the Filipino people how to run their country… I am only saying that the situation that I will address is simply beyond the pale, and must stop.
On Monday, at around noon, part of Mindanao experienced a real bloodbath. I have been a lover of Mindanao for two decades already, and what happened on Monday goes beyond anything I ever imagined could happen anywhere on the earth in the 21st Century. Even in a war torn place like Iraq or Afghanistan, I would be shocked if an event like this occurred.
What am I talking about? If you pay attention to the news, I am sure you already know. If you haven’t heard about it, just keep reading and I’ll tell you.
On Monday, somewhere between 35 and 45 people were killed in Maguindanao Province in Central Mindanao. Some were shot, many were beheaded. The people who were killed were men, women and children. They were civilians. Many were journalists. Many women were raped prior to being killed. When I heard the news, I felt a certain sick feeling in my stomach. That’s been more than 24 hours ago, and the feeling is still present.
It is important to remember, that nobody has been convicted of any crimes, investigations are still underway. So, everything I write about here is “allegedly” what happened.
On Monday, a group of people from Buluan, Maguindanao set out in a convoy of vans, trucks and other vehicles. These people were going to the Comelec (Commission on Elections) in Maguindanao to file the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) from Buluan Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu to run in May 2010 for Governor of Maguindanao. Vice Mayor Mangudadatu was (and still is) to run against Andal Ampatuan Jr., the son of the current Maguindanao Governor. The group of people who were to file Mangudadatu’s COC was lead by the Vice Mayor’s wife, Genalyn Tiamzon Mangudadatu. Mrs. Mangudadatu was later beheaded.
As the convoy was on it’s way to Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, the place where the COC’s were to be filed, they were ambushed in Barangay Salman Ampatuan. Allegedly it is the political clan of the Ampatuan family who ambushed the convoy. The people in the vehicles were kidnapped, and later shot or beheaded by the people who ambushed them. Reportedly, all but 4 of those in the convoy were killed. It is reported that the Political scions of the Ampatuan clan, Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. (Governor of Maguindanao Province) and Governor Zaldy Ampatuan (Governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) ordered the massacre and gave their blessing. Of course, this is only what is being reported, and this is an allegation. Remember, nobody has been convicted. But, those people still died, we don’t have any doubt about that.
There is more detail that I could share about this incident, but it really isn’t necessary. I also feel so sick about this incident that I really don’t care to dive in any deeper than that, especially on a public site like this. However, let me relate this incident to how expats are affected.
Over the years, I have been told by many expats how they have gotten involved with some political candidate, or have been befriended by some governor or something along these lines. I have always told these expats that getting involved in politics here is not only unwise, but it is also very dangerous to do that. Some have listened to me, others have not. But, when an incident like this happens, all a person had to do was be seated in one of those vans to have their head detached from their body. I can assure you one thing, I don’t want to die, but when I do die, I don’t want it to be by having a Kris sword detach my head. I can not really think of a worse way to depart the earth.
Please, as an expat here, steer clear of politics! You don’t need the headaches. Even if you are not injured or killed, if you align yourself too closely with a politician, you might run into trouble when his opposition takes power. Worse yet, you can be deported if you become involved in the politics of the country.
Over the years, I have had acquaintances, even friends who were powerful politicians here. During my travels of Mindanao, many politicians have assisted me. In many Muslim areas, the Governor has had his wife operate as my guide of the Province. However, I always make it clear that while I am happy for their friendship and assistance, I am not supporting them politically, because it is not my place to do so. In every instance, the Politicians involved have always understood my feelings and have been most gracious. It’s possible to be friends without being supporters. For your own protection, you really need to make sure it is clear that you are not a political supporter of any side in the Philippine election. It may be a matter of life and death.
My sadness today is mostly for Mindanao. I am truly a lover of the Island of Mindanao. I have been to nearly every corner of the island (including the area where this horrific event took place), and I love these places. However, an event like this is simply unspeakable, and is truly horrific. If you are a religious person, I urge you to pray for Mindanao.
The elections in the Philippines are still over 6 months away. I hope that this event is not a signal of what is to come in the elections of 2010.
Hi Bob – Good advise, I plan on doing just as you say. I will be a guest, I will not be able to vote. Even here in the States I have always felt that if you do not vote..SHUT UP!
In the past 40 years 100,000 souls have lost their life in central Mindanao. I pray that expats there will not become 100,001 because the rules of war in Mindanao changed Monday.
Hi Gary – I think you are right… the rules of the conflict have changed.
Bob;
It’s truly a sad situation, or would barbaric be a better term. I refuse, even within our family to discuss religion and politics. There is no faster way to provoke a fight. I feel your advice was on the mark, and I share your disgust in the fate of those unfortunate and innocent people.
Hi Paul – Such a barbaric act is shocking to me. Even two days later, I am in shock over the situation.
Morning Bob!
Politics is so very dangerous over there, no matter where you might be. Never get involved as you have said Bob!! Steer clear of political rallies if you can inform youself when they would happen to be. I feel sorry for the people in Mindanao as they do not need to suffer in these kinds of ways. Hope this would end some day…unfortunatly probably not in my life time and im only 27 🙁
Hi Jason – Nobody deserves to suffer conflict like this… especially beheadings! Very sick.
Good advice BOB, stay away from politics. Although Macrine can vote, (dual citizenship) and I can not, we are flying back in mid April and not stay for the May, 2010 election. As they say, MINDANAO politicians had LOOSE FIREARMS but in Marinduque the politicians had LOOSE MONEY based on previous elections where it was alleged the politicians had been buying votes for 100 pesos per vote.
The MINDANAO Massacre leaves a bad taste in my mouth, my heart and my soul! I do not even want to think or talk about it now! It is sad and pathetic, it makes the Philippines a BARBARIC NATION to the eyes of the world!
Hi David – I am fearful what will come from the 2010 elections. This opening act is not a good sign, though!
Hi Bob,
I read about it yesterday on World News,the whole world knows of this atrocity.
A very sad day for Mindanao.
regards Chas.
Hi chasdv – It’s funny how I came to know of the incident. I had a very busy day on Monday, and was in the office all day long. I had not paid attention to any news or anything, just too busy. About 5pm I got a message on Facebook from a LiP reader in Europe asking if I was OK, given the events in Mindanao. I was thinking like “what is he talking about.. ” and went and checked the news. Imagine my shock!
Amen. Stay away from politics and pray for Mindanao.
Hi AmericanLola – Yes indeed. Did you notice… at least from my perspective… yesterday there were a lot of people talking about this and that, but I never heard anything about something actually being done. No arrests. Was anybody interrogated yet? I’m not even sure.
I had not thought about this as being the beginning of violence leading up the 2010 election. I cannot think of anything to say that makes any sense other than human beings do senseless things. Marlou was born and raised in the Davao area-lived there for 37 years. She told me about the days before the current mayor. She also told me that she loves Davao but will never live there-not a chance. I used to debate this with her but to be honest I now find myself understanding what she is telling me. She says that once the current mayor is gone that Davao could possible revert back to the old ways. I hope not as in my opinion Davao is a wonderful place to live and to make a life. The Philippines is in our future but it will most likely be the Cebu area. I am disappointed that one of my options has been taken by the actions of evil people. I would assume its a subject that most if not all expats are thinking about.
Good topic to talk about Bob. I hope all of those people that every once in a while come out of the cracks and are critical of the always positive content are reading. You have always made a point to tell all sides. Keep up the good work.
Hi Ron – For me, the act that occurred is simply not human. Anybody who could do that is, in my book, not even a human being. How could somebody do that?
You are right about the history of Davao, it is indeed a bloody one. In the 80’s there were very regular events where many people were killed. Blood was flowing in the streets from what I’ve been told. But, personally, I don’t see that happening in Davao’s future. Mayor Duterte will be stepping down next year, but I think the City will remain a haven of peace on the island. It’s not yet really certain who will run for Mayor next year, but one who is rumored is current Vice Mayor Sarah Duterte, who is the daughter of our current mayor. She is a tough lady, I say that she is even more tough than her Dad is. If she were to be elected, and I think there is a good chance of that, I have no doubts that she will maintain peace in the City.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=526583&publicationSubCategoryId=63
I’m not an expat and I am a dual citizen, so I have no qualms about saying what I’m thinking in the spirit of “Speaking your Mind”.
A classic example of one hand not knowing what the other is doing:
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the troops are under orders to arrest the followers of the Ampatuan family, who are suspected to have carried out the murders.
On the other hand,
PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, however, refused to implicate the Ampatuan family directly for the carnage.
If there are followers, there must be leaders; so, if you’re going to go after the suspected followers, doesn’t it make sense to go after the suspected leaders, too? I don’t think it’s for the PNP to decide who is implicated. That’s for the DOJ to decide, not the PNP.
Afterall the boss – GMA – said, “Pursue the case no matter who gets hurt.”
The AFP and the PNP are both in on this operation. Wonder who is coordinating the two. Judging by the contradictory statements made by the two agencies above, one has to wonder if there is a central command.
My personal opinion is that the AFP should pull out of this operation but standby for a possible spill-over in case the MILF and/or the ASG get involved. Since this is a criminal matter, let the PNP handle it. Having both the AFP and the PNP in there, I think, only blurs the lines of command, leads to confusion, and possibly, may result in unnecessary loss of lives.
Hi John – The odds of the MILF or the Abu Sayyaf getting involved in this are virtually zero, in my opinion. This is not a matter that concerns them. This is Muslim on Muslim violence. The MILF would be the ones more likely to get involved, but who’s side would they take? And, if you look at the MILF Website, they have already been very critical of this action. I just don’t see them stepping in at all. As for the Abu Sayyaf Group, there are two reasons I don’t expect anything from them. First, this is far from their territory. The ASG generally operates in SW Mindanao and the Sulu Sea. That is very far from Maguindanao. Secondly, the ASG is more of a group that is interested in money. There is no money to be had here. They are not going to kidnap an Ampatuan or a Mangudadatu. They don’t have the manpower to even be able to think of that.
Terrorist from within are hideous, politicians who are terrorist is repulsive. What a shameful act all for the sake of position and power, there is a special place in hell reserved for those who commit such inhumane acts of violence. What a black dark day for the Philippines, I pray GMA purses this relentlessly and swiftly brings those responsible to justice. I’m a firm believer in ‘putting down ‘ those who act like animals ….I hope GMA does the same…but I have my doubts anything substantial will be done.
We can only watch and see what happens, brian… I also have my doubts.
Your doubts are well-founded, Bob. The Philippines is like the U.S. in many ways. They talk and talk but never do the walk. Arresting the Governor of Maguindanao and the Governor of ARMM for the massacre would be like arresting Bush and Cheney for torture. It just won’t happen.
Hi John – Yeah, they might arrest a few of the foot soldiers… but getting the masterminds will probably never happen, I’m afraid.
Hi Bob
This was an awful occurance that will reflect negatively on Mindanao but things like this happen worldwide even in so-called civilized countries. My prayers go out to the families of all involved
Hi Dan – I am not sure I can agree. I do agree that bad things happen in every country, but when it comes to beheading, that seems only reserved for a few places.
Stay out of politics – ESPECIALLY in the Philippines elections. As Bob says, words to (continue) living by.
Mindanao seems to be the “wild west” of the Philippines. This is not simply extreme Muslim on Muslim violence, the next six months will be punctuated with other election related murders and other acts of violence. It happens every Philippines election cycle — murders all over the country.
Politicians from the president on down will voice outrage over this act, but will continue to deal with the families and clans involved to garner their vote and support in the upcoming elections. More than likely, nothing will be done to the ones who ordered the killings, perhaps some of the poor murderers will be prosecuted, to satisfy the masses that justice was server, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the ones responsible will be more or less immune from any sort of punishment.
Tourism to Mindanao will probably dry up now as most countries will issue new travel alerts. The whole country will suffer, especially the poor people – both Muslim and Christians.
In a country where there is such a great disparity between the rich and the poor, where you can order someone killed for the price of a good restaurant meal, such killings are going to continue unabated.
My feelings right now is that I may need to reevaluate my previous decision to retire in Davao. Hopefully I am wrong on this prediction, but some day the whole island on Mindanao is going to revert back to some sort of bloody clash between Muslim political clans and perhaps Christians. Why get caught in the middle when there are other safer options further north.
Hi Rich – I am sorry, but when I hear those references like “wild west” it angers me. Mindanao is not like the wild west. Certain small pockets of Mindanao certainly are. But, if a mass murderer strikes in Florida, is Arizona in danger? How about Quebec? No, most of Mindanao is not affected by this sort of thing, but certain small pockets are very, very dangerous.
Bob, Again you are right. Not fair to paint Davao with such a broad brush. I should have referenced a more localized area as “Wild West” instead of all of Mindanao. Actually, wild west is a sort of silly comparison any way. I don’t think people generally chopped each other’s heads off in the wild west days. I live about an hour away from Orlando and visit friends there two or three times a month but I would experience a major panic attack if I ventured into one areas at night, that, in all fairness, is only five or six blocks square.
An interesting sidebar to this Muslim boldness is the fact that the general Population of the Philippines went up 2.16% according to the 2007 Census – http://www.census.gov.ph/data/census2007/index.html — while the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao increased at a rate of 4.78% — more than double the rest of the country! Not sure if that is because of a higher birth rate or acquisition of more areas added to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
If that trend continues, even more boldness will probably manifest itself on the part of political rivalry.
For the record, I have not yet changed my mind about retiring in Davao. The positive far outweigh the perceived negative worrisome things like getting murdered or beheaded. As mentioned through out this thread, stay out of bad places, and far, far away from politics.
Hi Rich – The ARMM has never been expanded since it’s inception. There have been talks about doing that, but so far it never happened. So, that population surge would have to have been done the old fashioned way! 😆
Unless some really surprising things happen, I don’t think that this will affect Davao, Rich. Mayor Duterte is on top of this, and it will surprise me greatly if this enters the City. It is a wise thing to keep an eye on events, but I don’t think your plans would be impacted by this.
The 10% of the Philippines population that is Muslim seems to create a lot of problems for both themselves and non-Muslims. Of course most Muslims are peaceful but we cannot deny that over 92% of terrorist acts in the world are committed by Muslims. It is not just in the Philippines that the Muslim population is growing. Demographers predict that a number of European countries, including Britain, France and the Netherlands will be over 50% Muslim by the year 2040 due to Muslim immigration and high birthrates (see video on Muslim demographics here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU ). Most people are too blind to see it or don’t speak out about it because it is politically incorrect.
Hi Cdc – Frankly, I don’t use YouTube as an authoritative research tool.
Of course, but I found similar demographic information in the CIA Factbook and other sources, it’s just that most people are too busy to look it up and only have time for something quick.
Hi Cdc – OK… but you were to one who chose the reference, not me.
Hi, Cdc and dvo girl-
This is nothing new. Demographers have been forecasting the Muslim expansion in Europe for years as “news”, albeit with a bit of Fox News-esque tinge to it: “we report, you decide”. LOL However, If you felt threatened after reading this “news”, it could only mean that you have been bombarded with biased opinions. Either that or you probably already have a deep-seated phobia against Muslims in general before you viewed the video.
I wouldn’t lose a single night’s sleep over this news if I were you, but if you have a particular penchant for visiting ultra-right wing, evangelical Christian websites, this is the sort of bellicose rhetoric you can expect to find. In my opinion, such attempts at indoctrination not only insult your intelligence, but they also often sow unfounded fear and anxiety in the hearts and minds of otherwise rational and intelligent people. It is often said that ignorance is a breeding ground for fear and bigotry.
Personally, I find nothing alarming about the news that Muslim population of Europe is projected to increase by more than 50 percent by 2040. Mexicans, too, will be a majority in California in the not-too-distant future, but do you hear any alarm bells going off? The way some of these alarmists are carrying on, you’d think that Muslims are subhumans incapable of co-existing with people of other faiths in “peace and harmony”. In Mindanao, for example, Muslims and Christians in general have been living in peaceful co-existence with one another for ages, have they not? Take away the ASG, which is a minority anyway, and you have negligible conflicts between neighbors that probably have more to do with cows being stolen than their differences in religion. Life among Muslims and Christians in Mindanao is relatively peaceful. Just ask Bob Martin.
While it may be true that a good proportion of terrorist acts the world over are committed by Muslims, they are committed by Muslim extremists. Fortunately, they are not a majority. To lump all Muslims together is simply irrational and a reflection of one’s intelligence.
To feel threatened by reports of a growing Muslim population based on the notion that Muslims are more likely to commit terrorist acts is a dangerous generalization that distorts the view of what mainstream Islam is all about. Extremists are to be found on both sides of the aisle, you know, but it’s the moderates from both sides of the aisle that count. There are plenty of terrorist acts committed by non-Muslims, too, so are we to condemn an entire class of people because of the actions of a few?
The 2005 riots in France by Muslim youth is still fresh in my mind. Many people believed that the French riots were a precursor to Islamic domination of Europe. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
The rioting was nothing more than a manifestation of a social problem that absolutely had nothing to do with religion at all. Muslim African and Arab youths who threw rocks and set fires on cars belonging to white citizens were more interested in upward mobility than in changing the face of France, and, by extension, the face of Western Europe into an Islamic one.
The riotings were a culmination of the many years of pent up frustration stemming from racial injustices and social neglect suffered by French citizens of color, many of whom were African and Arab Muslims. Their grievances were similar in nature to that of African Americans in the U.S. which eventually led to the racial riots in 1968. The Watts section of Los Angeles, the ghettoes of Detroit and Newark, and, yes, right here in Washington, D.C. within spitting distance of the LOC and the United States Capitol were gutted, ignited by the 1968 assassinations of Martin Luther King and the then-presidential aspirant, Bobby Kennedy.
As with the French Muslims, African American rioters in the late 60s only wanted liberte and egalite, to paraphrase the French. They wanted to be treated as equals, to be incorporated into the main body politic just like everyone else, just as Filipino Americans today aspire to be significant participants in the larger American society. I am not condoning nor justifying these criminal acts. I am simply stating the roots of a social problem which, when ignored long enough, could lead to devastating consequences.
The aftermath of the riots in the 60s was a time of deep soul-searching for the U.S. When the government finally made up its mind that it needed to acknowledge the fact that black Americans were American citizens as well, not second-class citizens, thus deserving the same rights and privileges as white Americans, it enacted the Civil Rights Act that ultimately led to desegregation and the official dismantling of institutional racism in America. While some form of subtle racial discrimination no doubt still exists in the U.S. today, blacks no longer have to use separate washrooms, nor are they required to give up their bus seats to white people. Today, many African Americans hold positions of influence and power in the top echelons of the U.S. government including the executive office, as well as in corporate boardrooms.
The American experience was a lesson learned for the French. Their response to the riots mirrored that of the U.S.’s in correcting the wrongs and injustices of the past. It legislated measures to uplift the plight of the marginalized citizens who for long were sub-existing in the fringes of French society. Those who cast aspersions on the French government’s efforts in instituting social reforms as a means to put an end to the riots displayed an incredible ignorance of the genesis of civil unrest.
While it is difficult to imagine an Islamic Western Europe, such Bernard Lewis-inspired pathological fear of an eventual Islamic expansion is not totally beyond the realm of possibility, however, but so what? If such a scenario becomes a reality, it would not be because of the French riots, nor because of the French government acquiescing to the social imperatives of its entrenched multi-cultural society. It would be because of open borders, liberal immigration policies in some European countries, and the growing birth rate of Western Europe’s Muslim immigrant families.
Western Europe has had a long history of welcoming foreign workers to its soil to do the manual labor white Europeans are loath to perform. Germany, as I recall when I was there with USAREUR in the 1960s, had been importing laborers from Muslim Turkey to dig ditches and for construction work. Their descendants are still there today, no longer laborers but prosperous and influential members of German society.
Exacerbating the fear of further diluting what remains of West European homogeneity is not exactly the Muslims’ fault. It was the formation of the European Union that spawned open borders. Thus, citizens of any EU member country can freely travel within the Union for the purpose of gaining meaningful employment that is in short supply at home.
If you really want to know what is changing the face of Western Europe today, it is the steadily growing influx into the region of citizens of former East bloc countries – the Russians, the Poles, the Latvians, and the Lithuanians – in search of better opportunities not found in their respective countries, while bringing along with them their unique cultural baggage, language, and traditions to blend with the host society’s, producing a fascinating melting cauldron that is putting to shame the so-called American “melting pot” of the 19th century.
Throw in the Muslim Africans, the Arabs, the South Asians and the Filpinos, and you have a truly multi-hued conglomeration of smells, sights, and sounds among the competing ethnic enclaves from Amsterdam to Zagreb.
Along with instituting social reforms, France had actually tightened, not liberalized, its immigration laws, a feature of which makes U.S. immigration watchdogs, Mesdames Michelle Malkin and Phyllis Schlafly look like Girl Scouts.
Conferring of French citizenship today requires a total immersion in French culture, including proficiency in the French language. By contrast, here in America you go to any 7-11 convenience store, you’d find yourself face to face with a U.S. citizen employee who is a dead ringer for Osama bin Laden and whose English is so unintelligible, you begin to wonder if you were in Kandahar, Afghanistan rather than in Alexandria, Virginia.
My whole point in this windy diatribe is that we are all citizens of the world. We are all inhabitants of a rapidly shrinking Mother Earth. We are all in this trip together and we need to stop worrying about the Muslims taking over Europe. Let’s get rid of our deep-seated suspicions about Muslims and accept diversity in all its forms, to find REAL solutions to REAL Earth problems – solutions that transcend race, national origin, and political and religions persuasions – or we’re in for what Bernard Lewis would like to see happen in this lifetime – the Clash of Civilizations.
hi John Reyes, thank you for your lengthy explanation on this matter. it is so informative and i do appreciate it..my sincere apologies if i hurt anyone.
Hi John,
You’re right, that is a long comment. I am not a right wing, evangelical Christian (I am agnostic) and I don’t have a phobia against Muslims. What I do have is a respect for facts. Let’s do some math:
1 billion Muslims = 92% of terrorism
5.5billion non-Muslims = 8% of terrorism
92 / 1 = 92 and 8 / 5.5 = 1.45
92 / 1.45 = 63.4
Therefore, (on average only) a Muslim are 63 times more likely to commit terrorism than a non-Muslim. It’s impossible to tell which Muslim immigrants will turn out to be terrorists and which will not, especially as more home-grown terrorists are born in Western countries. Of course the vast majority of Muslims are peace loving, but a large Muslim population in a Western country provides an indirect support network for any Muslim extremists there. This is the classic type of guerrilla warfare support network described in Mao Zedong’s writings. Captured documents from Al-Qaeda show that they decided against launching terrorist attacks in Japan because there were not enough Muslims in Japan to provide a support network for Muslim terrorists.
You say that you are not alarmed that Muslims may be a majority of the population in many European countries by 2040, and compare it to Mexicans being a majority in California in the not-too-distant future. There is a huge difference which is that Muslims are bombing civilians in Europe and Mexicans are not bombing civilians in California. It doesn’t matter what mainstream Islam is all about, what matters is that thousands of victims were killed and injured in the Muslim terror attacks in London, Madrid and New York. It is only a matter of time before another Muslim terrorist attack occurs against civilians in Western countries, as Western intelligence agencies are continually finding terrorist groups and preventing attacks. Bombs are continually getting smaller and more powerful, and chemical, biological and nuclear weapons becoming easier to produce.
You say so what if there is eventually an Islamic Western Europe. It will actually matter a great deal. Think of the armed forces of European countries being filled with Muslims. Excellent training for Jihadists to use against Western civilians. The Foot Hood massacre in the U.S. is actually the second recent incident of Muslim fratricide in the US military. The first was in 2003 when US Army sergeant Hasan Karim Akbar killed 2 US Army officers and injured 14 other officers from the 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait during the preparations for the invasion of Iraq. Here is an article about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_Akbar_case .
This recent Reuters article http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5A71AJ20091108
says that there only 3000 Muslims in the US military (active and reserve), yet 2 of them have committed fratricide. That is an incredibly high amount, 1 in every 1500 Muslim US troops committed fratricide. There were 4 other recent fratricides committed by non-Muslims, out of 3 million active and reserve US troops, or 1 out of every 750,000 non-Muslims. Put another way, Muslim troops in the U.S. are 500 times more likely to commit fratricide than non-Muslim troops in the U.S. That is dangerous but people don’t talk about it due to political correctness.
My main point is that Western countries would be best to increase immigration from countries and groups (like the Philippines and Latin America) that have low rates of committing terrorist attacks in their new countries, and decrease immigration from countries and groups (Muslims) that have high rates of committing terrorist attacks in their new countries. Filipinos have the highest labor participation rate and one of the lowest crime rates of all immigrant groups here in Canada. Perhaps we can agree that European and North American countries would be best to increase immigration from the Philippines and decrease immigration from countries and groups that have high rates of committing terror attacks in their new countries.
Hi Sir Robert. Time to take strain again.Sad news indeed for the island but i am afraid that is life.When i visted Martin recently in Butuan i felt very safe walking around town even in the heavy muslim dominated markets. Respect people and they will respond accordingly. This is a storm Bob which will continue driving the emotions till after the elections. Then calm will return and life will continue as normal. But till then battern down the hatches and prepare to ride out the storm.
Hi Frank – Yep, for sure, the next 6 months or so will be really unusual times, while the election season is upon us!
Well It seems that all agree about staying away from Politics here !
I really understand Your concerns about the subject but on the other hand its exactly
what the bad guys in Mindanao want with their bloody behavior.
So when You stay silent guys – the bad guys win – Terrorism is based on fear ! With
the fear they can keeps people shout up and even vote against their own wants !
This is not a local problem for Mindanao only – Its a problem for The Philippines as
a country. The image of the country that this acts create will only establish the fact
some still might have, that The Philippines are not worth investing in or pay any
attention too.
I love this place and its very sad for all the good people here who really could need
more attention and help from the western world to improve their life’s. Its sad for
the Phil industries that try to get foreign investors to grow their business. And forget
about any Tourist industry here !!
The world around Philippines already got a quite negative view to the situation here
regarding what You can see in CNN, BBC etc…
For the country I hope that the Philippine Government really will show a serious vil to
its people and to the outside world and find every single person standing behind this.
Show that they will do what ever to fight corruption. If not – it will dishonor and disregard
the country for many years…but in this election season…I just wonder– Who will lead
this investigation in a serious way ??
Hi Chris – Yes, the reputation of the country is already very bad. Acts like this only make it worse! Too bad…
wat a hopeless , sick catholic christian nation.
Hi Eric – I must be kind of stupid. Can you explain to me how rido between two Muslim political clans has anything to do with Catholicism?
Bob, what a sad and dark day for the Philippines. I pray for the families who have lost their loved ones, and will agree with Brian, there is a special place in hell for those who would commit such horrific acts. May they burn there for eternity.
Indeed, Dave!
let’s hope there won’t be a spillover in davao. the families are known to have recently bought houses in davao. and it’s no secret that dabawenyos have always been wary of these clans taking vacations in davao. i have first hand experience since i watched a friend get accidentally shot & killed because 2 clans fought it out in a popular nightspot a decade ago. the shooter was from one of families involved in this week’s killing.
Hi Macky – Our next door neighbor is Ampatuan. Enough said…
2 night ago, i had a talk with a real estate agent friend about the ampatuan’s neighbors in davao.
about the juna mansion, there was talk about neighbors selling their lots when they found out who was going to live next door and then the ampatuans repeatedly buying the fleeing neighbors’ properties and resulting in this gigantic property in the area. it’s all talk, but the believability of the neighbors’ fears says a lot about the family reputation (we were laughing about it then — a day before the incident hit the news).
Hi macky – Of course, we don’t live near the Ampatuan compound in Juna, but they have a second place that they moved into about 7 or 8 months ago next to us. It’s something to keep an eye on… especially now. Sometimes, our entire street is lined with Army and PNP, if the Governor is around.
Hi Bob,
I’m following the horrific events in Maguindanao at the Belgian radio news desk where I work. Accoring to AP news agency a third mass grave with victims has been found, which would bring the death toll to 57. People are asking me here what’s happening down there ???? I don’t know what to say ; it’s beyond my grasp. I feel sorry for the victims, but also for the Philippines in general.
Hi Ronny – I understand… it is hard to know what to even think. This is unthinkable.
Bob,
I am also worried about the coming election. Now that candidates are filing to run.
There is a history of killings during the process. And this is a Presidential election year.
I remembered last year when it was stated that it was a good election year, only 108 people were killed.
Any killing for any reason is bad. If 108 were killed for a lower election, what will it be with such higher positions this year?
Hi Bruce – I hear you. Unfortunately, it looks like this election season is going to be a bad one. The death toll is already 57 with just a single incident.
Still the lead news on BBC and CNN international, Philippines has been named the most dangerous area in the world for journalists with 12 killed in one day,American ambassador in Manila has told Arroyo she must persue those responsible for this barbaric act.
Hi Ian – Indeed. Journalists without borders came out with a statement that this was the most journalists killed in a single day in history. Very sad indeed!
We all people connected in any way to Philippines can do something.
To protest and put a pressure on Ph. Gov. to arrest all responsible for this horrific crime – we will cancell our visits to Ph. till the justice prevails and the criminals are punished.
This little we all can do.
M.
Hi mylin – Certainly every person can make a statement in their own way. If you choose to refrain from visiting to the Philippines until justice is served, that could be an effective method, especially if enough others do it too. Good luck to you!
Bob,
This horrific news has left me totally stunned and shaken. This is totally outrageous and incomprehensible. I am still seething with anger as I try to understand how this could have happened. It is just beyond me. I could not, for the life of me, believe that this happened in Mindanao. I thought that I might be reading about something that happened in Darfur or Rwanda.
My heart bleeds for the victims’ families. The savages responsible for doing this are the lowliest scum of the earth. What they did to the women is beyond belief! I wonder if their mothers don’t regret bringing them to this world? I wonder if these men don’t have wives, sisters, daughters? How could they do such dastardly things to defenseless women and civilians? How would they feel if the same fate befalls their womenfolk? Do they even care? I don’t believe so. I don’t think I should even apply human sentiments to these beasts. As far as I am concerned, these are non-humans and should be treated as such.
To me, it is not a matter of taking political sides. It is a matter of right and wrong. What happened to this massacred group is plain and simply WRONG! It doesn’t matter where it happened, killing human beings mercilessly is WRONG!
And, oh yes, there will be reprisals. I guarantee you that. Some may not even make the papers. It is just the way it is. When people don’t trust the justice system and their government, they take the law into their hands. Can you blame them? I just hope that when this happens, innocent civilians are not caught in the crossfire.
I can go on and on but I am in an emotional state right now that I think it is better to keep my thoughts to myself.
Bob, you take care always.
Hi Tina – I just sent you a private e-mail about some other stuff, so watch out for that.
Yes, this event is really terrible. Even 4 days later, I am still stunned by it, and especially that they are still finding more bodies. The count is up to 57, and who knows, maybe they will find more now that it is sunlight again. I hope that the mastermind is punished. Problem is, I can’t think of any punishment that would be fitting for this crime. Honestly, every punishment I could imagine is way too light for what was done!
There was a large number of people in that ambushed convoy. They were also warned well before the attack. Not one of them had a gun? They should have been armed to the teeth. I don’t travel anywhere in Mindanao without a firearm, and I’m a total nobody. If I was a political candidate opposing a known violent, tyrannical incumbent, I’d have at least a small squad of sharpshooters escorting. I really don’t know what these people were thinking?
If you want to run for public office in the Philippines, you need to be willing to kill a few people defending yourself. I’m a foreigner, and EVEN I know that much.
Had there been truckloads of dog-faced hard-asses brandishing automatic rifles instead of a group of nice people driving down the road singing Kumbaya, we wouldn’t be hearing things like this in the news. It’s just common sense?
Even a small group of well trained shooters with semi automatic pistols could’ve had fended off that band of rabble that attacked the group.
Like I said, I really don’t know what these people were thinking?
Hello J – OK, let’s blame the victims….
Hi J,
I was intrigued by your statement “I don’t travel anywhere in Mindanao without a firearm”.
Albeit a few years ago,i did some research on PI laws.
Regarding ownership of firearms it stated,PI nationals must have a firearms licence to legally own a firearm,and undergo various assessments before a licence will be issued.
It further stated that foreign nationals are prohibited from applying for a firearms licence,so its illegal for a foreigner to own a firearm in PI.
As far as i am aware this law has not changed.
regards Chas.
It’s not to say that I don’t feel bad about what happened, Of course I do. I just get angry because this incident could’ve been and should’ve been avoided. Those people should’ve used some common sense and armed themselves. They knew they were opposing a violent leader known to execute his rivals by employing a private army of lawless murderers. It’s a KNOWN FACT in that area.
But with that said, I further wonder about the mentality of the people who keep electing the Ampatuan family into political office?
Carrying guns, J, in my opinion, was not way to avoid the situation. It would only worsen the situation. That is my opinion. You have your opinion too, no problem. We differ. I personally feel that your solution to the problem only would increase the problem.
For chrissakes, Bob, when did you ever see Rambo without a gun? He carries not one but sometimes 3, and fires them with deadly accuracy even with an Asian beauty hanging around his neck… 😉
Hi John – I have always had a rule about guns and living in the Philippines. If I feel I need a gun to protect myself here, then I don’t belong here and should go live elsewhere.
Now, that should not be taken to mean that I am anti-gun. I am a strong supporter of gun rights. But, when in a foreigner country where I am not a citizen and am a guest, I do not believe that I have the right to bear arms, nor should I.
Bob, you say that if the murdered men, women and children were carrying guns then it would worsen the situation. How exactly could it worsen the situation? Are you saying that the 4 people that escaped would have been killed if they were carrying guns? Or that it would be bad if some of the attackers were killed by the victims?
Hi Fred – I never said any of those things. If you read my replies to earlier comments, I have already answered the question that you are asking.
Hi Bob, I am not trying to argue with you but this is what you said earlier:
“MindanaoBob says:
November 26, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Carrying guns, J, in my opinion, was not way to avoid the situation. It would only worsen the situation. That is my opinion.”
I don’t see how these Filipinos carrying guns could have worsened their situation since 57 out of 61 were killed. Please explain.
Fred – Firstly, there were not 57 killed, the death toll is up to 64 now.
I responded to the same question earlier. Here is my response to you again:
By the way, Fred, most of the men who were killed were journalists. So, you are saying that journalists should start carrying guns?
Just to be clear, I do not think that these people should have been carrying guns. That would have then made them a private army too. I believe that private armies should be disbanded. The solution on this event would have been for the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to have accompanied the caravan for protection. Such a military escort was requested and denied. That was a stupid decision by the AFP, and two AFP high level officers (one general, I don’t remember the rank of the other person) were canned for this.
If we say that “they should have been carrying guns” then we are saying that we want the wild west here. Everybody should carry guns no matter where they go. What I want is the rule of law where the Police and the Military take care of enforcing a system of law to protect the people.
If we all need to carry guns in case of ambush, where is the limit? If my family goes out on a family outing, should my kids carry guns, or just me? What about Feyma? Should babies carry guns? What is the age limit? How about in the States (I am nos certain where you live, Fred), do you need to carry guns there when you go out? Also, where do I need to carry guns? At Church? When I go grocery shopping? Where are guns inappropriate to carry?
I am no gun hater, I firmly believe in the right to bear arms. However, I want a society where men are free to roam, go out on outings, go file election papers and such without having to worry about being killed for doing nothing. I want the police to protect people, not a lawless society where each man should protect himself with his own weapon. That’s my choice, Fred, maybe yours is different.
By the way, Fred, most of the men who were killed were journalists. So, you are saying that journalists should start carrying guns?
Just to be clear, I do not think that these people should have been carrying guns. That would have then made them a private army too. I believe that private armies should be disbanded. The solution on this event would have been for the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to have accompanied the caravan for protection. Such a military escort was requested and denied. That was a stupid decision by the AFP, and two AFP high level officers (one general, I don’t remember the rank of the other person) were canned for this.
If we say that “they should have been carrying guns” then we are saying that we want the wild west here. Everybody should carry guns no matter where they go. What I want is the rule of law where the Police and the Military take care of enforcing a system of law the protect the people.
If we all need to carry guns in case of ambush, where is the limit? If my family goes out on a family outing, should my kids carry guns, or just me? What about Feyma? Should babies carry guns? What is the age limit? How about in the States (I am nos certain where you live, Fred), do you need to carry guns there when you go out? Also, where do I need to carry guns? At Church? When I go grocery shopping? Where are guns inappropriate to carry?
I am no gun hater, I firmly believe in the right to bear arms. However, I want a society where men are free to roam, go out on outings, go file election papers and such without having to worry about being killed for doing nothing. I want the police to protect people, not a lawless society where each man should protect himself with his own weapon. That’s my choice, Fred, maybe yours is different.
Hi Bob, Yes I was aware that most of the men killed were journalists. I heard that the politician was warned that he would be killed if he filed the election papers, so he thought it would be safe to send his wife and a group of women with some journalists.
Of course it would be best if we all lived in a safe society with the rule of law prevailing at all times, but that is not reality. These people requested government protection in order to exercise their democratic rights, but it was denied. Their only choices were a) to not exercise their democratic rights, b) to exercise their democratic rights unarmed, c) to exercise their democratic rights armed with weapons. My point is that in this particular situation it would have been better if they had been armed, because most likely fewer of them would have been killed. I do not want the wild west, just for civilians to be protected. But if the govt refuses to protect people then what other choice do they have other than protecting themselves. It would not be necessary for them to carry guns at all times, but it would be a wise precaution in this case since they were doing something that they had been warned would get them killed.
I want the same type of safe society that you do Bob, its just that until we get there I think that people have to take care of themselves if the govt refuses or is unable to, otherwise they might be killed like what happened here.
Fred – You say:
If we follow your logic, a peaceful society can never be achieved, because you will keep carrying until nobody else is. If everybody does like that, we will never get to the point where you are willing to put down your gun. For me, that kind of circular logic is just crazy. We all have our own opinions though!
Bob, my paragraph before that mentions that guns would not be carried at all times, only in potentially dangerous situations where the govt does not offer protection. Being unarmed obviously did not work for these victims. Would you agree that some of the victims might be alive today if they had hired private armed guards to protect them (since the govt refused to provide any) ?
Totally agree with you J. Teddy Roosevelt said it perfectly, WALK SOFTLY CARRY A BIG STICK.
Hi Mr. B – Carrying a big stick is OK if you are in your own country. When you are a guest in a different country, carrying that big stick is something that will get you into some serious situations. If you don’t understand that, I would guess that you haven’t done much foreign travel.
Hi Bob, First off i’ll say i enjoy your site, like yourself my first trip there was in 1988 with my pinay wife. I have travelled to Baguio and as far south to Legazpi and everywhere in between, Staying mostly in manila. As a foreigner i totally agree with you Bob, i would never consider getting involved with philippine politics. I’ll share a experience i had while visiting a friend on catanduanes, he along with his pinay wife built a nice resort area on the westside on the island. I had to drive back to virac for some business, when i drove up on a sign on a 4×8 sheet of plywood which still had the red paint dripping saying, NPA AMBUSH AHEAD this was on a desolate stretch of road. Mind you now, i had my wife and 2 friends with me, there were 3 police officers waving traffic along. On the side of the road was a vehicle with numerous bullet holes in the windsheild and drivers side door. I later found out that it was the governor and his police bodyguard, they both survived, it came to light later that it was politically motivated. On a side note it always seemed to me that the NPA always gets the blame as the MILF does down by you Bob. John Reyes thanks for the correction, as for your rambo comment i don’t if that was directed at me or not, it’s irrelevant. Bob you made a statement that if they had firearms you feel it would have made the situation worse, how so ? Murdered, raped and beheaded is there a next level? Going into the lions den and leaving your rifle outside taking your flashlight only is not only foolish it’s downright dangerous onless your RAMBO. Sorry that was for John.
Hi Mr. B – The reason I say that more guns would only make it worse is because… there were 64 dead in this incident. There were 100 gunmen. If both sides had guns, there may well be 164 dead!
Bob, are you saying that it would be bad if all 100 of these murderers, rapists and beheaders were killed during the attack? If their 100 deaths during the attack deterred even one person from commiting this type of cowardly act in the future then it would be worth it.
Hi Bob, First off i’ll say i enjoy your site, like yourself my first trip there was in 1988 with my pinay wife. I have travelled to Baguio and as far south to Legazpi and everywhere in between, Staying mostly in manila. As a foreigner i totally agree with you Bob, i would never consider getting involved with philippine politics. I’ll share a experience i had while visiting a friend on catanduanes, he along with his pinay wife built a nice resort area on the westside on the island. I had to drive back to virac for some business, when i drove up on a sign on a 4×8 sheet of plywood which still had the red paint dripping saying, NPA AMBUSH AHEAD this was on a desolate stretch of road. Mind you now, i had my wife and 2 friends with me, there were 3 police officers waving traffic along. On the side of the road was a vehicle with numerous bullet holes in the windsheild and drivers side door. I later found out that it was the governor and his police bodyguard, they both survived, it came to light later that it was politically motivated. On a side note it always seemed to me that the NPA always gets the blame as the MILF does down by you Bob. John Reyes thanks for the correction, as for your rambo comment i don’t if that was directed at me or not, it’s irrelevant. Bob you made a statement that if they had firearms you feel it would have made the situation worse, how so ? Murdered, raped and beheaded is there a next level? Going into the lions den and leaving your rifle outside taking your flashlight only is not only foolish it’s downright dangerous onless your RAMBO. Sorry that was for John.
Sorry for double post.
“Going into the lions den and leaving your rifle outside taking your flashlight only is not only foolish it’s downright dangerous onless your RAMBO. Sorry that was for John.” – Mr. B
Hi Mr. B- The Rambo comment was mine, yes, but what exactly did it say, sir? Did it not say that even Rambo “carries not one [gun} but sometimes 3, and fires them with deadly accuracy even with an Asian beauty hanging around his neck”? Now, did that somehow imply that Rambo won’t be able to handle the lions without the Asian beauty hanging around his neck? 🙂
Hi John, Can you think of a better goodluck charm.
Take care,
Bill
That’s about it, Mr. B.
Hi John, Can you think of a better good luck charm.
Take care,
Bill
These double posts, MY BAD.
It was actually, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”, referring to the basis for his (Theodore Roosevelt’s) U.S. foreign policy. He wasn’t talking Rambo, I don’t think.
I was waiting to see how long it would take for somebody to give the correct quote! Congrats, John… you caught the mistake.
If you jumped naked into a lagoon full of hungry sharks, who would you blame for your being torn to shreds and eaten? You or the Sharks?
It’s not about putting the blame on anybody. It’s not about blame at all. It’s about common sense. Don’t twist my meaning.
Mindanao is not Candy Land. If you’ve lived there long enough, you should know exactly where you stand.
I offer anyone who wants to “Get Real” about what happened, a different perspective. Everybody is acting like this is such a surprise????? Like this never happened before? Yeah, right.
As I said, I feel very sorry for those who were murdered. You can blame and point your finger any direction you want. In the end, you still have to deal with the reality that 100% cotton is not very good at stopping bullets.
Hi J – I have lived in Mindanao for 10 years. I have been visiting the place for 20 years. I have been to every province in Mindanao but two, and I know this island like the back of my hands. I have spent significant time in the area where this even happened. No, this part of Mindanao is not candy land, you are right. But, you say that you as a foreigner carry firearms when you travel Mindanao. That is an invitation to some serious trouble, and I think that you are a bit naive. Talk about “getting real…”
Hi Bob,
A few years ago I had the job of training Mayor Ampantuan Jr and some of his men to Scuba dive! I did not know anything about him before that but as the training went on I could see his real nature which did not please me at all!
He carried millions of pesos in a big size lap top bag and blew it away on nothing! ARMM money was bottomless!
Now he is accused of this event!
Before the last election a person planned to run against him but was gunned down outside the office after filing his papers! No suspects were consieved at the time?
A guy in my bar had a good idea last night! Make the Ampantuan Family a Terrorist Organization!
Now that they have been kicked out of the Presidents political party does that mean that the Billions of pesos which they get for the ARMM will dry up? I think not!
Interesting story, Chris. I suppose it would be like saying that you once taught Hitler how to dive! It’s something to talk about (but only in the company of friends!) in the future. I seriously doubt that the money will dry up for them, though…
Hi Bob,
I also tought Congressman Akbar to dive when he was the Basilan Gov!
He was killed outside the house of Representatives by a bomb a couple of years ago!
I do not seem to have much luck teaching poilticians!
Hi Chris – If I ever come for diving lessons.. please, I want a private course! I don’t care to mix with any of your other students! 😯
Bob;
Good points. I am originally from Cagayan de Oro. Mindanao
is a big place. This happenned in the ARMM area. As blogger Jil said “fact, a good analogy would be living in Delaware… on the far side of Philadelphia, and hearing about a redneck massacre in West Virginia: About the same distance both in miles and cultures.”
I love CDO and Mindanao. Let’s not taint the reputation of the whole island because of the Rido going on in that area of Mindanao.
Love your blog Bob.
Hi Ed – Thanks for commenting… I am happy that you enjoy my site! I fully agree with you on the Delaware/West Virginia thing! Perfect example!
Shameful! Another record set in the Philippines.
This is a monster created by Gloria Arroyo’s administration. They have protected this clan since 2001 to corner the votes in Central Mindanao during election. Arroyo rewarded them for their loyalty by issuing a memorandum authorizing the clan’s private army to legally bear firearms and allowing the son of Maguindanao’s governor to run for ARMM governorship.
This is a good read:
‘Mangudadatus offered posts to avoid conflict with Ampatuans’
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/25/09/mangudadatus-offered-posts-avoid-conflict-ampatuans
Hi Atong – For me, I personally can’t yet say that Gloria had fault in it, because I haven’t seen anything solid… just speculation about that. Certainly, if she knew that these armies were being built up, she should have put a stop to it.
BTW, just one point of clarification. Andal Jr. was not planning to run for ARMM Governor, nor was Toto Mangudadatu. They are to vie for Maguindanao Governor.
Hi Bob, I’m talking about the last presidential election back in 2004 when Arroyo won by a landslide in Central Mindanao, that’s when she rewarded Andal Sr. by allowing his son – Zaldy (his candidacy is questionable since they don’t have any ties with the MNLF rebels, they are not stakeholders) to run for ARMM governor.
Speculation? You’ll be amazed once you learned Ampatuan Sr’s background. This clan came from nowhere. They were trust there by the government to oppose the politicians who are known MILF supporters and then they were used during elections to guarantee the administration’s victory in Central Mindanao. Remember the Hello Garci scandal? Yeah, that’s them…
Got it, Atong. Sorry, I misinterpreted your previous comment.
Thanks Atong for the information. Very interesting Wikipedia read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Garci_scandal#Fraud_techniques.
Politics in the Philippines are indeed very unique and interesting… unfortunately, sometimes the seeds you sow comes back to bite you.
–Rich–
WARNING TO US CITIZENS
U.S. Embassy Manila
Warden Message
November 24, 2009
THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THROUGH THE EMBASSY WARDEN SYSTEM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO U.S. CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.
PHILIPPINES
TRAVEL ALERT
The State Department alerts U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the southern Philippine islands of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and urges extreme caution if traveling there. This Travel Alert reflects the recent acts of violence in the Mindanao province of Maguindanao and is supplemental to our September 17, 2009 Travel Warning to the Philippines. This Travel Alert expires on January 6, 2010.
Travelers should exercise extreme caution if traveling in the central and western portions of the island of Mindanao, as well as in the islands of the Sulu Archipelago. Recent violence in Maguindanao resulted in the Government of the Philippines declaring a state of emergency in the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat and the city of Cotabato. The state of emergency includes road checkpoints conducted by the Philippine military and law enforcement. If U.S. citizens travel to Maguindanao despite this Travel Alert, they should understand there are heightened tensions and there will be a significant military presence. They should carefully research restrictions imposed upon travel and follow the instructions of officials with regards to limitations on movement.
Travelers to this area should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas. Some foreigners who reside in or visit Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago hire their own security.
The Department of State remains concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. The Worldwide Caution reminds U.S. citizens that terrorism can occur anywhere.
The Department strongly encourages U.S. citizens in the Philippines to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Manila through the State Department’s travel registration website. The U.S. Embassy is located at: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines, tel. 63-2-301-2000. The American Citizens Services (ACS) section’s fax number is 63-2-301-2017 and the ACS web page can be accessed online.
For information on general crime and security issues, U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for the Philippines and the Worldwide Caution, located at the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website. U.S. citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 from the United States and Canada, or 202-501-4444 from overseas.
Totally expected.
Some years ago, when Dick Gordon, the former Secretary of the Dept. of Tourism, was promoting Philippine tourism, his Chief of Staff, referred to such travel advisory issued by the U.S. Embassy in Manila whenever there is a flareup in Mindanao, “just to cover their asses”. I kid you not.
Hi John – Yeah, I remember that… and I fully agree with it. The US knows that most of Mindanao is very safe. There are many US Government agencies that have people here, after all. But, if they did not warn, and something happened to somebody… then they would be in trouble.
Good advice. But this event should not tarnish the image of Mindanao, and the other parts.
Hi AlexB – Whether it should or should not… this has severely damaged Mindanao’s reputation. Probably more accurately, it has confirmed or reinforced an already bad reputation.
hi, i grew up in davao and i’m hating it when the place is being affected by these certain group of people that has been imposing their presence and power in mindanao when they have done nothing at all to contribute in this world except wars and violence and deceit and filthiness and laziness as they would never toil for money but raise arms for money!!
i hope that one of this barbarians that is now arrested and more hopefully from his family wont be given special treatment from the NBI group or from any other govt concerned agencies..
just to add a comment, as far i could recall in the 80’s i think killings in davao mostly happened in remote areas of the city in those days like cabantian,buhangin agdao and the likes and not exactly in the city center..
more power to you bob!! it’s good to have you there in davao..for me i don’t consider you as a guest there but just like one of us who loves our place..(i’m still a filipino).
Hi dvo girl – Thanks for your kind words! I do consider myself a Dabawenyo already… but am still a guest too. 😉
Hi Bob. I am so saddened by this tragedy in Maguindanao and I feel so sorry for the Philippines and specifically for Mindanao. However, I must tell you that I am happy about your present disposition with regards to Davao. The way I see it, you totally see the whole situation and you don’t think that it will escalate in Davao City. Actually, even before, Davao has always been a second home for most big politicians from the surrounding areas. I guess, they kind of look at it as their city of refuge since they know that when they go there, they don’t have to fear any “Mangudadatu” or “Ampatuan” since Mayor Duterte is the top dog there and it is him they all have to fear and respect. I hope they will exclude Davao City from bloodshed. The mayor has always been a step ahead of the situation in the past and I hope that he is still on top of things. Many people know how deep Mayor Duterte can dig into the situation to control it. I hope you are all safe there.
Hi Lito – We are safe here. One of the things that I hear a lot from Dabawenyos is that they fear for what the future holds. Mayor Duterte cannot run for another term as Mayor. Many fear that when Mayor Rody is gone, the City may slip back to the Killing Fields of the 80’s. Everybody knows that Mayor Duterte can keep the peace, he has proven it. What about others, though? It is not known. We can only hope that whoever takes over from Duterte can do a good job of keeping Davao safe.
The law states that mayors cannot run for more than 3 consecutive terms, so, after a term-period of absence he will be eligible again. I think it is most likely that her daughter will be the next mayor of Davao and so the older man may still be able to help her in keeping the city relatively safe. I hope she rules like an iron lady too. I was in Davao City from 1986 through 2006 and I saw and heard how mayor Duterte transformed the city.
Hi Lito – Exactly. That’s why Mayor Duterte cannot run again this term. Yesterday, Boy Nograles filed his COC for Davao City Mayor. It is widely believed that Sarah Duterte will run, but as of yet, I do not believe she has filed yet.
If Sarah becomes Mayor, I don’t think that Rody Duterte will have any hand in the running of the City. Sarah is a lady of her own stature, and I am sure that she will be hor own woman. She is indeed a lady with an iron fist too! Nograles did a lot of good things for Davao too as Speaker of the House.
Hi, Bob!
A very sad day indeed for the entire Filipino nation, not just for Mindanao. No one, not even us Filipinos would have ever expected this type of carnage to happen. Yes, there were (or will be) some sort of violence related to the upcoming elections as in the past, but never on such grave level. Just as we were celebrating two important victories for the Filipino nation: Pacquaio’s achievement of unprecedented seven world boxing titles and more especially Efren’s winning of CNN’s Hero of the Year, that this gruesome crime happened so suddenly.
There were perpetrators who were accounted for so far, and I hope others responsible would be brought to justice. It brings us to ponder again whether our country should consider or not returning capital punishment…God bless Mindanao and the Philippines.
Hi JR – Nice to hear from you… BTW, I’ve been sending you some e-mails but they always bounce back to me… maybe some problem with your mail server?
Yeah, just when the Philippine nation had two big successes to celebrate comes one of the most dastardly events in decades. So sad! I hope that the perpetrators will indeed be brought to justice, although I am not too confident that it will happen.
Filipino legislators can enact laws all they want, but if there is no enforcement or are enforced selectively and circumvented by legal maneuvering in the name of political correctnes and national reconciliation, the laws are not worth the paper they were written on. Estrada was sentenced to death for plunder way back when, but knowing the traits and characteristics of the Filipino people, I never believed that the sentence would be carried out. This is what I mean when I said the other day that the Philippines is like the U.S. in more ways than one, all talk but no walk.
Hi John – Actually, Erap was sentenced to Life in Prison. The death penalty in the Philippines was abolished long before Estrada ever stood trial. But, I agree with you that laws are not enforced too well in many instances here.
Hahaha, Bob. I must have been in Mars when capital punishment was abolished in the Philippines. I missed hearing about it.
That was way back not long after GMA took office, John. Maybe in 2003 or so, I’d guess.
Hi, Bob!
Yes, what happened was so tragic and horrible, that everybody even here in Laguna and Metro Manila kept talking about it. I was riding a taxi yesterday when the driver suddenly brought up the issue and he even stressed that the enforcement of capital punishment in the Philippines must be revived. Also, I even have a lady friend who says she even personally met Ampatuan, Jr. before. Human justice is so imperfect, but there’s always divine justice we can truly rely on for consolation.
Actually, I have never opened my personal e-mail recently, would you believe? Are you referring to my Hotmail account? I better check it out now. (They’re probably full of FaceBook notifications! Been too pre-occupied lately with FB after recently finding so many of my long lost friends from school and work!) 🙂
Hi JR – I don’t recall which e-mail address it was. Actually, whenever I replied to e-mails that you sent me, those always bounce, though. I think it was one of your business e-mail addresses, though.
Hi, Bob!
I’m sorry but I don’t think I have sent you e-mails directly using my personal or business address. I only comment here in LiP. I have checked my Hotmail e-mail over the Internet and it seems fine so far, the same I believe for my business (corporate) address. Anyway, I hope we’ll keep in touch! Cheers! 🙂
Hi JR – Hmm.. strange. For example, last week or so, I got one from you talking about having attended the Pacman fight, and I replied, but it bounced. Did you send me that? Not trying to argue the point, just figuring out what happened.
Hi, Bob!
Nope, I have never sent any e-mail saying I attended Pacman’s fight. Sure, I would love to see Pacman in live action, but right now I don’t think I will be willing to spend some good deal of money on the trip to Las Vegas! I’m sure you’ve mistaken me for the one who sent that e-mail to you. 🙂
OK, JR. I am sorry to bother you on that! I guess I was just mistaken, though… It was from Junior, I was thinking that Junior and JR were the same person! Ha ha.. very sorry, my friend.
Hi, Bob!
Ha! ha! OK, I see. Well, don’t fret, Bob! Actually I am also called ‘Junior’ at home and by my relatives! Cheers! 🙂
I’m really sorry about my mistake on that, JR! 😆
OK, Bob! No prob! 😀
Some months ago there was a discussion regarding death squads and private armies – those who seemed to think it was a good thing should perhaps think again as the brutal events of the past few days are a consequence of power without accountability.
Hi Bryan – I might be mistaken, but I don’t ever recall any person on LiP ever advocating private armies or death squads. Is it possible you might have a link for that? I’d certainly like to review that discussion.
Hi Bob – sorry my reply is a little late – if you look back 7 months on Forum topics you will find “Davao Death Squads” and you will find posts that were in favour of what was happening – my answer to that was that reducing the mobile phone thefts by murdering 14 year old boys really was not acceptable.It is all part of the system that hands out unrestricted power for political favours ending in the massacre in Maguindanao.The only thing about the massacre is the scale – killings of this nature are a regular occurrence.
OK, so it was over on the forum. I rarely follow the forum very closely, and I thought you were talking about some discussion here on the magazine. Personally, I would classify the DDS and “Private Armies” as two very different issues, though.
Interesting article and a number of interesting comments. Seems the biggest worry for average filipinos and expats living in Mindanao (to greater or lesser degrees depending where you live) is being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But then again…isn’t that true for all places?
Four cops just got shot yesterday drinking coffee in Washington state. Imagine if that sort of thing happened at a popular coffee shop in Davao (Cuz if it does I’ll have to cross off Davao and Washington off my retirement spots list). Well, maybe I should be worried because I live only 5 hours from Virginia Tech. A Korean student killed a bunch of people there, then a chinese foreign exchange student arrives and promptly beheaded his chinese girlfriend already attending the university (I’m definitely not retiring within 3 hour radius of Va. Tech…that place is like the “wild west” of Virginia).
In fact…a guy killed like his whole family at a Thanksgiving feast…(I’m definitely not retiring within a 3 radius of a cooked turkey!!).
Guess I need a sarcasm font. The events in Mindanao were horrific, but it does seem there is a political predictability to what happened (the attack, not necessarily the gruesomely evil details). It’s probably a little less safe in Mindanao than the average place in the USA….but what can you do? Eliminate all risk by sitting on the couch and watching discovery channel?? Fact is LIFE is dangerous…we’re lucky we live as long as we do (statistically speaking of course).
People who don’t understand statistics are irritated by people who do… because fear is removed from the critical thinking and decision process. Bad stuff happens….and many more people will die in car crashes caused by drunk drivers in 24 hours than were killed in the massacre (I’m going to retire in a “dry” town…and a place where people can’t smoke in public so I won’t die of lung cancer (wait a minute!!!! I think Davao bans smoking in public!!! Sounds like heaven!!)
We respond very differently to human on human violence resulting in death….but where is the outcry to stop deaths due to starvation or cholera after drinking filthy water? These are easily preventable deaths if we made them a priority. We are very selective in our perception of atrocities, or even what we fear…. Billions of dollars is spent to respond/fight terrorism after 911. 3000+ people were killed in horrific fashion and I was shocked and sickened. But Katrina or the Indonesian Tsumami showed we could have spend FAR less and saved HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of lives by paying much less for early warning buoy systems in the Pacific Ocean (Tectonically active…ya da ya da ya da), or installing advanced Dopplar radar tornado detection systems and warning communication systems in “Tornado Alley” of our midwestern USA, etc.
Finally it sunk in that how we perceive events is such a great example of how if the threat has a “face” we fear it far more, and throw money at it to make us sleep better while high probability natural dangers are ignored. But it’s worth thinking about this event in a broader context of “risk”….because you have a greater risk of getting hit and killed by a teenager who broadsides your driver’s side door because they were texting while driving (I’m definitely not retiring anyplace where there are teens with cars and cellphones!!!)
Ha ha… Jon – all that, and it comes down that the kid behind the wheel is the most dangerous…. probably true too!
Glad you spoke on this incident, Bob. I first heard about it on a Canadian network, then my wife received a call from her best friend, who lives in Manila but returns to the Gen. Sts. area frequently, to oversee family businesses, properties, etc. . When I answered the phone the other night I couldn’t make out who was calling, as she was crying hysterically, so I passed the phone to my wife. It turns out that my wife’s friend lost her sister-in-law in that encounter.
For the benefit of J and others, the group did not expect such a violent attack; they felt that they were safe with so many journalists along for the ride & by the fact that they had purposefully decided to send women only. To rape a woman, prior to murdering her, then to decapitate the victim, are considered to be insults to the husband & family of the victim.
Sixteen years ago, I lost an 83′ steel fishing boat to the Ampatuan clan. Had it not been for the family of this same best friend, I would not have returned to Canada, very nearly didn’t. Between now & the elections, I highly recommend that all foreigners & their wives keep their heads down & eyes peeled, especially in Mindanao. I’ve seen this wind-up to an election before, when I lived in Davao and, yes, Duterte was mayor at that time. He can only do so much.
Mike
P.S.: If any of you “wild west(cowboy) foreigners” are firing off your illegal arms in Davao this New Year’s Eve, please, don’t point them in the direction of Samal!
Hi Mike – Glad you enjoyed the article. BTW, on the shooting of firearms on New Years Eve… you don’t need to worry in Samal…. for 7 or 8 years now, it is illegal in Davao to shoot off guns or even fireworks on New Years Eve. I’ve lived in Davao City for 8 years now, and have yet to hear a single gunshot on New Years Eve! It is strictly enforced, and followed by the people too.
Good to hear, Bob. I was still living there when that law was passed. It didn’t stop everyone, but there was quite a reduction in incidents. I see Rodrigo Duterte has finally announced publicly, what many of us already knew; Duterte-Duterte slate. Do you think Sara will buy herself a Harley? LOL
Mike
Hi Mike – No need for Sara to go buy a Harley. She has been an avid motorcycle enthusiast for years and already has at least one Harley. Like father, like daughter!
dvo girl says:
December 1, 2009 at 12:09 pm
hi John Reyes, thank you for your lengthy explanation on this matter. it is so informative and i do appreciate it..my sincere apologies if i hurt anyone.
Hi, dvo girl- No harm done. It was actually your comment that I saw in the “Recent Column” that led me back to the article to see what you were replying about. If it wasn’t for your comment, I wouldn’t have seen what Cdc wrote, as I normally do not go back to an article after I’ve read it. I only check the “Recent Column” to see what people are saying about the article, and I add to a comment as appropriate.
Hi John,
My reply is located above on your comment.
Regards,
Cdc
Hi, Cdc- Sorry, I was out of town and didn’t see your message until now. Your statistics are persuasive. Muslims are more likely to commit acts of terrorism than non-Muslims. Note, however, that I never argued the point. Besides, they are not conclusive.
The point that I emphasized is for people to stop lumping all Muslims together. There are good Muslims and there are bad Muslims, just like there are good Christians and bad Christians. Not only is it morally wrong to condemn an entire class of people because of the action of a few, but it is dangerous as well. If we follow this logic, shouldn’t we be condemning all the Moros because of the ASG?
Yes, it does matter what mainstream Islam is all about, precisely when people who are already brainwashed beyond redemption are automatically equating the whole Islamic world with terrorism. They are blinded to the fact that the extremists who are committing acts of terrorism are a very small percentage of its billion plus population and do not represent the Muslim majority.
You say you have no phobia against Muslims, yet your elaborate analysis of statistical probabilities indicate otherwise. I have no quarrel about those numbers, I tend to agree the way it was expressed. But they are not a point of contention. I am just surprised that you didn’t bother to explore the other side of the coin. You accentuated only the negatives, like the HYPOTHETICAL danger to the European military by having Muslim integrees within. But how about the positives, like FACTUAL evidences of Muslim contributions to the society into which they have assimilated?
On a final note, tell me, how would a country go about legally implementing its immigration policy by accepting only certain classes of people while excluding others?
You know the same college student as I do. If he isn’t careful and heed your warnings he will end up in the gutter with a hole in his head. I hope that he read this article and I hope it opened his eyes. I don’t care how smart one thinks they are you over state your values, you will get killed over it.
Yep, true, Matthew.
Yep.