Philippine lawmaker slams US travel warning: ‘unfair treatment from No 1 ally’
The US State Department has advised against all travel to Marawi, with other areas of Mindanao listed as hotspots for crime and civil unrest
A Filipino lawmaker has protested against a US travel advisory for the Philippines citing crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping as reasons for Americans to be wary in the country.
“This is an unfair, shotgun warning. There are certainly many places in our country that are safe to tourists,” Philippines House of Representatives member Rufus Rodriguez said on Sunday.
“The United States should review this advisory. We do not deserve this unfair treatment from our No 1 ally.”
The May 8 advisory, issued by the US State Department, mostly placed the Philippines in the “Level 2” category, meaning “exercise increased caution”.
“Terrorists and armed groups have carried out kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks targeting public areas like tourist sites, markets, and local government facilities in the Philippines,” the advisory read.
“Violent crimes are also common in the Philippines such as robbery, kidnappings, and physical assaults.”
The US advisory cautioned against all travel to the Sulu Archipelago and Marawi City, placing them in the “Level 4” category for “do not travel”, highlighting kidnappings targeting foreign nationals and the risk of death or injury due to “ongoing clashes between terrorist group remnants and Philippine security forces”.
The US government had limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in these areas, the advisory stated.
Other parts of Mindanao island were listed under the “Level 3” category, or “reconsider travel”, with the exceptions of Davao City, Davao del Norte province, Siargao Island and the Dinagat Islands. Kidnappings for ransom and bombings were the factors cited.
Rodriguez represents the second district of Cagayan de Oro, a city in northern Mindanao.
He called on Manila to summon Washington’s envoy and demand an explanation for the advisory, The Philippine Star newspaper reported.
Rodriguez also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to ask the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez and the Department of Tourism to explain what they had done since the warning was issued earlier this month.
The lawmaker said that the warning showed the country in a bad light on the international stage.
“It discourages not only Americans but other foreign tourists as well from visiting the Philippines. It will surely hurt our tourism sector,” he said, as cited by The Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper.
“It is likewise particularly biased against our beloved island, Mindanao.”
A month before the advisory, the US also listed Indonesia under its “Level 2” category, citing terrorism and natural disasters.
