By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA
MANILA — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato on Thursday night said the Philippines remains safe for foreigners in view of the warnings issued by the United Kingdom and Australia to their nationals against travel to Mindanao after the recent Cotabato bombing that killed two and injured several others on New Year’s eve.
“What happened in Cotabato is an isolated case. Foreigners remain safe in the Philippines,” he said in a text message.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are working round the clock to ensure their safety and security,” he noted.
A day after the deadly homemade-bomb attack in front of a mall in Cotabato, the Australian government advised its citizens to exercise a “high degree of caution” in the Philippines overall, to reconsider the need to travel to eastern Mindanao, and to refrain visit to central and western Mindanao.
United Kingdom’s warning, still in place since Dec. 31, also cautions British nationals against all travels to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago in view of the mall blast.
DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said it was only “fair” for the two states to issue travel warnings.
Cato said travel warnings are issued since governments are responsible for looking after the safety and security of their nationals when traveling overseas.
He said the DFA regularly issues advisories for Filipinos abroad to either exercise caution or avoid certain areas when there are reported incidents that threaten their safety and security.
