Britain warns nationals against traveling to RP

The British government warned its citizens yesterday against traveling to the Phi-lippines in the wake of a series of bomb scares that has gripped Metro Manila in the last three days.

In a travel advisory, the British Embassy in Manila also discouraged its nationals staying in the country from all holiday and non-essential travel to several areas in southern and western Mindanao as well as Palawan until further notice.

The embassy cited an increase in kidnapping incidents throughout the country, especially in popular beach resorts.

"British nationals should remain vigilant throughout the Philippines, heighten security awareness against the threat of kidnapping in Manila and exercise caution when considering travel to any coastal resorts," the advisory said.

The Philippine government has placed the police and military on full alert after nine improvised bombs were discovered in several cities in Metro Manila as well as in Cebu and Cotabato.

A previously unheard-of group calling itself the Indigenous People’s Federal State Army has claimed responsibility for planting the bombs, which were not meant to explode and kill bit to sow panic.

Several of the bombs were planted near buildings in the Makati financial district and stations of the mass railway transit.

The British embassy described the bombing attempts as terrorism- related. It warned its nationals that even well-lit and busy areas cannot be assumed to be safe. Attacks and robberies aboard ships in Philippine waters were also mentioned in the advisory.

Provinces included in the advisory are Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

Last year, five countries — Britain, Canada, France Japan and the US — warned their citizens about the risk of traveling to the Philippines after the Abu Sayyaf group and the Pentagon gang went on a kidnapping spree that targeted foreigners.

Several embassies updated their advisories on travel to the Philippines following the Sept. 11 attacks and the campaign against Osama bin Laden’s terror network in Afghanistan.

The US and Japanese embassies said yesterday they will not be withdrawing their advisories despite the protest from Philippine authorities.

"We have an obligation to inform traveling American nationals of the situation in the Philippines," US Embassy spokeswoman Karen Kelly said.

The US Embassy advisory warned its citizens against traveling to southern and western Mindanao, including Zamboanga City. Another area to be avoided are the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo, where an American hiker was killed weeks ago by armed robbers.

"US citizens should avoid travel to the islands of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo in the Sulu archipelago in the extreme southwest of the Philippines," the advisory said. "As a precaution, the US government has temporarily withdrawn resident Americans and contractors from these areas."

Japanese Ambassador Yoshihisa Ara said Japan was supposed to lift a travel ban last January but deferred such action after a bombing attempt near the Allied Bank on Ayala Avenue in Makati City last December.