The "Safety" Issue

Here is a reason I am not too keen on beachfront property. And this KFR is a recent one:

Australian Warren Richard Rodwell Kidnapped in the Philippines - WSJ.com

 

I don't think beach front is the problem, but having a nice house that screams "rich foreigner" in close proximity to Mindanao terrorists is probably not the best idea.

 

But from a security perspective being on a beach means any of these groups have easy access to you, can quickly remove you, and will likely meet little resistance from neighbors. And with easy access and escape you do not have to be located in Mindinao to be a target, they are in boats afterall. But I am just a paranoid security conscious type anyway. :(

 

Certainly sounds like it.

 

Now hold on, Mindanao is a nice place as it is my home. There is only one bad area on the island and anyone willing to live there should have the head examined. That place would be Zamboanga City, Kidnapping is just part on life there, they Kidnap everyone, I even heard of them kidnapping locals for 5,000 peso for their safe return.

I have lived Northern Mindanao for years and never once have I felt any danger while there. Anyone going to that area of Mindanao is told that it is a very dangerous place to be, I would not recommend anyone to travel there. I have been there once to take a boat, it made me very nervous, many people keep asking my wife it I was Arab, thank God I could speak more Arabic than they could understand which isn't much more than greetings and how are you. But anyone living there is down right out of their mind. Just my two cents.

 

I do hope Warren can be released in a good way without being harmed as for beach front the article says 2 miles or 3km inland. The American teenager I am certain has managed to escape I have recently read in the news . Take care all.

 

Here is a link to the recent escape of Kevin Lunsmann 14.

Virginia Teenager Escapes From Captivity in Philippine Jungle - ABC News

Well done to Kevin.

 

Went there by motorbike last Wednesday, for the second time in 14 months, via Dapitan, Ipil and onto Zamboanga City, where we stayed till Saturday, . Stopped in Ipil, for gas and a Jollibee, never felt anything untoward, except it being dirty and maloderous. In Zamboanga, my club donated over P275,000 worth of medicines and dietary supplements to 1050, Christian and Muslim poor kids, grades 1-6, in 3 different elementary schools. This is the second time I've been to Zamboanga, the only thing that is glaringly obvious there, is the horrific traffic congestion and litter everywhere, Dumaguete is a complete paradise compared to it. I walked about the place a few times and never had a problem, I found most people were kind, friendly and usually inquisitive, Muslim and Christian alike. I probably wouldn't go back as there are far more beautiful places to visit in Mindanao than Zamboanga.
As for the expat that was kidnapped in Ipil, certainly the locals I talked to there, thought it was probably a family 'inside job', or he had severely p*ssed off his neighbours, but who knows? Ipil is quite a distance from Zamboanga/Basilan 'trouble' areas(over 100kms at least), a bit far for the insurgents to be operating, especially with the amount of troop and police check points we went through.
Just my opinion.

 

Glad you made it there and back, Inside jobs are also part of living in the Philippines. Foreigners march around acting like they are in their own country. Without thought of how things work in another country. Keeping a low profile and trying to avoid offending others is not always and easy task. But it is a good idea. I learned the hard way that things are not the same when I first arrived to the Philippines. But I do love living there. But like every where you should watch your back if you went around insulting people back in the states you would not be kidnapped, But you could end up on a milk carton.

 

The name Ipil gives me the chill. Years ago, some outlaws sprayed bullets everywhere and killed many people in that place called Ipil. One bank there had almost all the employees shot killed. It's scary.