https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/11/07/1966766/radio-broadcaster-gunned-down-dumaguete This is really bad news. OK, I know the Philippines quite well and my wife is from Dumaguete. I know in this country you get killed for many reasons. But I would not have tought in Dumaguete and not a radio broadcaster. But then again, I just moved in to Dumaguete recently after my retirement. It seems I'm underestimating the danger here of getting killed for being critical or saying something wrong that might be offensive to a Filipino. Slowly I understand what my wife is telling me all the time: Don't get drunk with a Filipino and don't have a heated discussion with them. Seems to be true. Never mind. Looks I have to stick to my foreign friends then. Gesendet von meinem SM-N950F mit Tapatalk
There has been a retired cop arressted now. Suspect. There were also two more murders locally yesterday
Some content that helps expand a broad understanding on crime here. https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/southeast-asia/philippines/crime-in-the-philippines
Since he is an active radio commentator, he must have offended the feelings of some big or small people, but that is such a barbaric reason to kill someone. Other killings are the so-called "drug-related" killings so yes, the best thing to do here is to just live a simple life, avoid offending people, and do not get into anything illegal.
It seems being killed for having a job in journalism is more common here than you might think, as a search online will show. There is the case of 34 journalists killed in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. Bob Martin who lived in Davao for almost 30 years and owned a website advising expats, always said "It is not a Paradise in the Philippines" and he did that to counter the positive input from people who considered only the upside (I just read a few days ago of an expat excitedly recommending life in Manila where he lives for $600 a month!). Without getting into the amount he says he lives on in Manila, visiting many restaurants etc, as that has been covered here many times, there was no mention of litter, pollution from other sources, stray dogs, crime, etc. So many reports seem to avoid the negative. So people need to know, so they can make a balanced judgement. It is a country where killing is too common and too often unpunished (that, of course, is one reason it is common!). Another very recent report is the killing by a group of gunmen of a 16 year old girl in Iloilo! So articles on 'Living in the Philippines' also need to look at it from the angle of 'Living' (as in 'staying alive' in the Philippines).
Being new to driving in Dumaguete I accidently drove the wrong way on a street that was the right way in the day time. I thought the officer was going to shoot me. Cursing me and yelling that I don't respect the Philippines and other sh*t like that. I bit my tongue but what I really wanted to do was to teach him some respect for others.
Majority of our traffic officers are nice. I have never encountered of anyone mouthing bad words while at work. Sometimes, when I park at a "no parking" area, they come to me to tell me nicely where I can possibly park. I really have no problem with our traffic enforcers. Most of them are good people.
Having spent a lot of time (and money) in Manila I can only assume that this guy must be one of the people that live on a cardboard box on the pavement. 1000php per day
Yeah, talking smack about a group of armed people with power is generally not considered a good idea in the Philippines. It amazes me that politicians and media personalities haven't figured out what ballistic glass is yet considering how many of them have had a full clips unloaded on them through the driver side window. I know it is expensive but at the very least they should be installing it on that one window.