Kidnapping

We had this conversation in the brit embassy last week and so they say it is a credible threat.
Seems like its not just the asg but others aswell have joined the bandwagon for money.
So the asg just pay locals to kidnap for themand they get paid well.

 

I know an expat and his wife that were held by gunpoint/knife-point at their house in Bacong. The expat was escorted to an ATM at the mall and told to empty his account (while his gf was held at knife-point at home). He was told if he tried to signal for help or they didn't remain in constant contact that his wife, and later he, would be killed. Both lived through the ordeal after handing over 30-40k PHP, if I remember correctly. Just because you don't hear about it happening in Negros doesn't mean it doesn't happen (and happen with quite alarming frequency). How many expats have been murdered in home invasions just in the greater Dumaguete area? Many of these deaths go unsolved and we have no real idea of what actually happened in the house. Home invasion? Ransom? Parricide? Absolutely no way of knowing with the investigative abilities of the PNP (sh*t, the PNP could be involved themselves in such activities, they have killed an expat in a ransom scheme right outside of the PNP Chief's office in Manila).

How many old men suddenly die with their deaths being considered natural by a government that gives absolutely 0 shits about expats (and expat murders are really bad for tourism) but in reality could have been caused by foul play? I suspect the vast majority of old guys dying is just that, old men dying from old age.....but I suspect a very, and I mean very, small percentage of them could involve foul play. (Note: My story above did involve an elderly man. If he died, his money disappeared and his much younger wife went missing what exactly do you think the first thought most people would have? What do you think the police would think? How long do you think they would investigate? What tools do they even have to do a proper investigation if they were even motivated to do so?)

There have also been confirmed reports of criminal/Muztard extremists operating in Southern Cebu. Many of the local mayors claimed it was all bullshit at first but later had to eat crow once the warnings (from several different Western embassies) were verified to be real and present.

There have also been legitimate bomb threats in Dumaguete (with locals caught/arrested in hotels with bomb material). We, as expats, are both political and economical targets....and some nut-job is always looking to hit the bulls-eye and show he/they are serious about their demands to the national government.

Be very careful with dismissing embassy warnings as false just because you personally believe the threat couldn't happen or be true. It could come back to bite you in the @ss. Ask the German that recently thought he would be perfectly safe sailing down to the Sulu sea to get a haircut and then got a little too much taken off the top. His case is an extreme one, but these threats aren't Tinkerbell, their existence has absolutely nothing to do with you believing in them.

 

I didn't quote the right person. I got the humor in your post. I need to get some sleep myself.

 

As i remember it the two guys who held up the old guy were eliminated a few weeks later not far from here back in 2011

 

Psst, don't tell anyone but I post a bit of hyperbole from time to time just to keep things active on the forum. As long as you aren't an idiot and stay out of other's business/drama you will likely have absolutely zero problems in Dumaguete.