Posted on 12/12/2004 7:04:16 AM PST by Whataday
is that Santo's
religion of peace
They say there have been recent threats by Muslim militants from the Abu Sayyaf group, which is linked to the regional militant network Jemaah Islamiah (JI).
Last time we were there, the Phil government was far more interested in taking us to the cleaners, foriegn aid wise, then they were combatting terrorism. I feel bad for the average citizens, because their government doesn't have it's priorities straight.
do you remember when Philippine president Gloria M caved in to the terrorists in Iraq to gain release of a hostage? My Filipina wife was ashamed. Lot of good that did Gloria. You really made your country safer.
I was in Geenral Santos (in Cotabato, Mindanao) about 12 years ago for a research for Colgate Palmolive. I remember going to the marketing, and heard the sound of a live machine guns. The people didn't really make much out of it -- they said it happened every day. Then two days later, my friend and I decided to go to the local theater to see a movie. During the showing, the #1 action film star in the movie was being beaten by the gansters. The Moslems started rooting for the film star and started shooting the movie screens, thinking they can to kill all the hoodlums beating the local hero. That was a scare, everyone just panicked and looked for the exit signs. That was such a weird experience.
GSC lies in the SE part of Mindanao, not Western.
In any case, I just heard of a new blast in the Fit Mart mall in Koronadal and a church in Digos. How much longer until we start to recognize the Philippines as a failed state? Pretty sad.
Acutally, it is about due south central, but having been there myself, to me, that part is all western Mindanao, and is far more dangerous than eastern Mindanao. Check this map out. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/philippines_rel93.jpg
I spoke to a friend in Digos an last evening. The Digos incident was a stupid bomb scare done by a local yokel.
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