Zambo City mayor boycotting embassy invites over travel warnings

ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - City Mayor Ma. Isabel Climaco-Salazar said will snub all invitations from foreign embassies who have existing travel warnings on Mindanao.

“For as long as there are travel advisories, as chief executive of the city of Zamboanga, I think I should avoid all social activities, but I have to make sure my city would meet and merit the removal of the city from these travel advisories,” Salazar said.

The United States Embassy was the first to be turned down by Salazar. The mayor did not attend the embassy's celebration of the US Independence Day on Thursday at its office in Manila.

Salazar also declined the gathering organized by the US-Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippine (JSOTF-P) on Sta. Cruz Island as part of its Independence Day celebration.

“I feel saddened that we have travel advisory and today happens to be the fourth of July, America’s Independence Day,” Climaco said Thursday when she disclosed her decision to turn down the invitations in protest of the travel warnings.

The US embassy issued an emergency message on May 20, warning Americans against travelling to Zamboanga area due to a "credible threat" of a kidnapping-for-ransom plot against foreigners.

The city mayor, meanwhile, said that she will do her "level best" to make sure that Zamboanga City will not be taken out of the areas with travel warnings.

"As the chief executive I take full [responsibility] and I will do my level best, with the [law] enforcers, to make sure that we do not qualify for any advisory but as always we do our level best sometimes there are circumstances that are beyond us,” Salazar said.

A day after the US embassy issued the travel warning, the embassies of United Kingdowm, Australia and Canada released similar advisories.

Canada advised its nationals to exercise a high degree of caution due to an ongoing terrorist threat to Westerners and Western interests.
 
It advised against all travel to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga del Sur, Sarangani, Lanao del Norte, Davao del Sur, North and South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, due to the serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping.
 
The British and Australian governments also warned its nationals against the same crimes.
 
"There is a threat from kidnapping, particularly in the southern Philippines. Kidnapping could occur anywhere, including on coastal and island resorts and on dive boats and sites in the Sulu Sea. Foreigners have been targeted in rural, urban and coastal areas in the past," said the British government.

It noted that in February 2012, two foreign nationals were kidnapped from Parangan in the township of Panglima Sugala in the Tawi Tawi island province.
 
"Terrorist attacks could occur at anytime, anywhere in the Philippines, including in Manila. We continue to receive credible reports indicating terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets in a variety of locations, including places frequented by foreigners. You should avoid places known to be terrorist targets," the Australian government also said.