PNP assures tourists: Cebu, CV safe

Tourists have nothing to worry about the security in Central Visayas despite the travel warnings from the Australian government.

This was announced by Regional Intelligence Division chief, Supt. Paul Labra, who said that Cebu and the entire Central Visayas region are safe from threats of terrorism.

Posted in the Smartraveller website, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a travel advisory last Wednesday to its citizens to exercise caution in the Philippines due to the high threat of terrorist attack and other serious crimes.

Labra said that even with the travel advisory, Australian tourists are assured of the continued monitoring of the police force to ensure security and safety in the region.

He said that they have not received any reports of terrorist groups in Central Visayas.

He further noted that the intelligence community in Cebu and the entire region remained vigilant at all times.

The Australian government strongly advises its citizens not to travel to Central and Western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.

“If you are in Central and Western Mindanao, you should leave immediately,” the advisory read.

It also said that there is a high threat of kidnapping throughout the Philippines with the highest in southern part of the country.

The Australian government is known not to make payments or concessions to kidnappers since it believes that paying ransoms increases the risks of further kidnapping.

For the same reason, it also warned Australians to reconsider travelling to Eastern Mindanao in the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

It also said that terrorist attacks are possibly happening anytime and anywhere in the Philippines, including Manila, and advised Australians to exercise high degree of caution in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan and those areas in the National Capital Region where measles outbreak was reported.