RP now in 5 countries’ travel bans

A total of five countries have warned their citizens yesterday about the risk of traveling to Mindanao, especially Basilan, where the Abu Sayyaf bandits, the Pentagon kidnappers and other criminal gangs are eyeing foreigners as potential victims.

The United States, Canada, Japan, France and Britain issued the advisory through their embassies in Metro Manila.

Despite last week’s rescue of a kidnapped Canadian, the Canadian Embassy warned yesterday its citizens against traveling to Basilan and other parts of Mindanao.

Canadians were urged to be vigilant if they choose to go to Mindanao as the Canadian Embassy lauded the Philippine National Police for the rescue of 50-year-old businessman Pierre Belanger from a gang of kidnappers in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

The US Embassy warned Americans about the danger of going to Basilan and other parts of Mindanao following the kidnapping of American missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham, originally from Wichita, Kansas.

The Burnhams have been held captive by Abu Sayyaf bandits in the jungles of Basilan for the past seven months and government troops are still fighting to free them.

French citizens were warned by their embassy against traveling to Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

Several French journalists were taken captive by the Abu Sayyaf last year at the height of the hostage crisis involving 21 mostly foreign tourists who were snatched from Sipadan island off Sabah on Easter Sunday last year.

The British Embassy advised its citizens against traveling to Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, North and South Cotabato, Bukidnon, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

Army troops have been clashing with the rebels in those provinces, prompting the British Embassy to issue the advisory to protect its citizens.

Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US, the Japanese Embassy issued the travel advisory to its citizens but lifted the travel ban in Metro Manila, Cebu, Palawan and Davao.

Several other foreign embassies have also advised their citizens to avoid crowded places after a cache of bombs were found last week near the pedestrian underpass between the Allied Banking Corp. and Ramon Cojuangco buildings along Ayala Avenue in Makati City.

Many foreign governments are said to be wary about the security of their citizens based on reports from their embassies on the peace and order situation in the country.