# If (Americans) are seen there, they will be killed,” Duterte said.



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Hi All,

I have been reading posts on this site for some time now, finally decided to join and ask for others opinions on the future here.

I am currently on the fence about finally and fully retiring here but new events are making me wonder.

I get the call for military out but this issue with whites out of Mindanao concerns me. Do others think people here will start vigilante type attitudes against whites and Americans? Could this spread to other areas?

I can not post the link but I'm referring to the 3 comments from a September 12 Philstar Article. 


“The special forces, they have to go. They have to go in Mindanao. There are many whites there,” the president said during the oath taking of new appointees Monday in Malacañan.
*
“If they see an American, they would kill him. *They would demand ransom then kill him. Even if you’re a black or white American as long as you are an American, (they will kill you),” he added

“The situation there (in Mindanao) will worsen. If they (Americans) are seen there, they will be killed,” Duterte said.


----------



## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

Hey_Joe said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have been reading posts on this site for some time now, finally decided to join and ask for others opinions on the future here.
> 
> ...


Mindanao has never been a good place if your are an expat. The US has been warning about travel to Mindanao since at least the 70s so that is not new. As for the the SF's they say that SF's are training the PAF and as far as I'm concerned it's a good idea for them to leave until the PAF completes operations in that part of the country. US Forces are not allowed to engage in combat operations in the Philippines. So why put our guys in a position that they cannot protect themselves.


----------



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Joe are you thinking about retiring to Mindanao? That's the main troubling area, actually it's been a very troubled area for decades and the US State Department has had a long standing solid warning for this region. These warnings are forged in blood, and like most Muslim inhabited areas you are considered an infidel so if the president warned Americans about this region ... you will be killed he was doing you a service, only hope that you heed this advice, so many other spots you can live on.


----------



## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Hey_Joe said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have been reading posts on this site for some time now, finally decided to join and ask for others opinions on the future here.
> 
> ...


Makes sense to me. He wants to start an all out offensive down there, and having potential hostages in the way certainly makes it a lot harder. Even before Duterte, it was very dangerous for foreigners, so now it will be worse if he starts a big offensive.


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey_Joe said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have been reading posts on this site for some time now, finally decided to join and ask for others opinions on the future here.
> 
> ...


In the Philippines, anything is possible but overall, the rest of the country is safe by comparison and has many good places to live.
Ya just need to remember that THIS IS a 3rd world country where things can change on a moments notice.
For those of us that have lived here for many years it's just another bump in the road and we would or will not be leaving.
Just pick your area well and by all means, avoid Mindanao unless you are just a thrill seeker with a death wish.


----------



## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

As having been one of the members on those missions down there, I disagree with this article and sentiment. 

The US Forces assigned to those missions have rules of engagement and very strict operating procedures. They are embedded within the Philippines Armed Forces on Philippine Bases, secured within their own compound. Their travel off base is infrequent at best and heavily guarded. The US Military is cautious in their assignments and do everything possible not to inflict any bad relations between the local populace and the PAF. The US Forces are heavily armed and do have the right to self defense. With that, they are extremely cautious to avoid any incidents or provocations. The last perception that they want is to be thought of as invaders.

One of the most common missions that the US has been performing is Civil Military Operations (CMO) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil-military_operations . The US Military has performed thousands of medical operations, dental operations, veterinary operations and civil projects (building schools, wells, roads, bridges, etc.) since January 2002 throughout Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Enduring_Freedom_–_Philippines

Duterte has been critical of the US Forces presence since the beginning and would not allow any US forces in the Davao City area. 

Why would a politician be so wary of this presence? Especially when the RP has requested them? Could it be that the US forces would be providing significant projects that would help the local populace better than him or his family could provide? Could it be that he views them as a threat to his power???

In the meantime, aside from the Mindanao mission, the US continues to operate in cooperation with the RP through annual exercises such as Pacific Partnership https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Partnership in the Visayas and Luzon region, CARAT Exercises in the South China Sea Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) and Balikatan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balikatan in various locales wherever the RP requests within the Philippines.

During the last few years, the Japanese and Australia have also stepped up to working with the PAF in a similar fashion. So there is an external coordinated effort, assisting the RP to protect their sovereignty and provide security for their citizens.

In regards to the Bud Dajo Massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bud_Dajo, that event was the breaking point in the Moro Insurgency during the US Colonial times. After that, there was true peace for a long time in the once restive south. Post WWII when the US ceded the colony to the Filipinos, then the Moros decided that they didn't surrender to the Filipinos but rather the Americans. They viewed the Filipinos as beneath them and often enslaved them pre-Spanish and Spanish colonial times https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy_in_the_Sulu_Sea in raids as far north as Manila and Baler. This gave rise to the MILF, MNLF, etc.

I do like Duterte's idea of the RP creating an independent foreign policy, as it would require they bolster their PAF and become a truly strong country.


----------



## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

jon1 said:


> As having been one of the members on those missions down there, I disagree with this article and sentiment.


Jon, what article are you referring to?


----------



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

M.C.A. said:


> Joe are you thinking about retiring to Mindanao? That's the main troubling area, actually it's been a very troubled area for decades and the US State Department has had a long standing solid warning for this region. These warnings are forged in blood, and like most Muslim inhabited areas you are considered an infidel so if the president warned Americans about this region ... you will be killed he was doing you a service, only hope that you heed this advice, so many other spots you can live on.


No, definitely not Mindanao, the Pampanga area. I'm more interested in how this new development with whites will impact other areas because of this new guys words and vigilantes who carry out his wishes. 

I was In Manila last week. Many billboards the size of large buildings everywhere advertising glutathione skin whitening and become white products everywhere. So will white Filipinos who used skin whitening products have to leave also? And why no mention of Chinese having to leave or be killed? Seems they are big offenders here right now. Even the Department of Tourism has stopped the slogan It's more fun in the Philippines.


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hey_Joe said:


> No, definitely not Mindanao, the Pampanga area. I'm more interested in how this new development with whites will impact other areas because of this new guys words and vigilantes who carry out his wishes.
> 
> I was In Manila last week. Many billboards the size of large buildings everywhere advertising glutathione skin whitening and become white products everywhere. So will white Filipinos who used skin whitening products have to leave also? And why no mention of Chinese having to leave or be killed? Seems they are big offenders here right now. Even the Department of Tourism has stopped the slogan It's more fun in the Philippines.


When it comes to race and race relations, Filipinos are basically colorblind and race is a non-issue.
Adverts for skin whitening products are nothing new and are irrelevant. The country most everywhere (except Mindanao) is filled with good places to live.

It really IS more fun here in the Philippines and my understanding of the slogan not being used is that the Dept Of Tourism is just about set to launch a new slogan and advertising program. Don't read more into it than there is. If the place was that unsafe, I'd probably be posting this while on a flight back to California!


----------



## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Jet Lag said:


> When it comes to race and race relations, Filipinos are basically colorblind and race is a non-issue.
> Adverts for skin whitening products are nothing new an irrelevant. The country most everywhere (except Mindanao) is filled with good places to live.
> 
> It really IS more fun here in the Philippines and my understanding of the slogan not being uses is that the Dept Of Tourism is just about set to launch a new slogan and advertising program. Don't read more into it than there is. If the place was that unsafe, I'd probably be posting this while on a flight back to California!


They are still using the slogan on their websites:

Department of Tourism Main Portal


----------



## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

DonAndAbby said:


> They are still using the slogan on their websites:
> 
> Department of Tourism Main Portal


Yep, but I haven't seen that on signs, in hotels or in brochures for some time. They will put out a new one before long I guess. I just hope the place doesn't ever get discovered like Hawaii or no one will be able to afford to live here.


----------



## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

DonAndAbby said:


> Jon, what article are you referring to?


Here you go Don, Duterte wants US forces out of southern Philippines | Fox News It is all over the news sites


----------



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Pampanga*



Hey_Joe said:


> No, definitely not Mindanao, the Pampanga area. I'm more interested in how this new development with whites will impact other areas because of this new guys words and vigilantes who carry out his wishes.
> 
> I was In Manila last week. Many billboards the size of large buildings everywhere advertising glutathione skin whitening and become white products everywhere. So will white Filipinos who used skin whitening products have to leave also? And why no mention of Chinese having to leave or be killed? Seems they are big offenders here right now. Even the Department of Tourism has stopped the slogan It's more fun in the Philippines.


The comment had more to do with the current battle in Mindanao and from what is sounds ... the feeling is we might end up being a liability if our troops were captured, the current plan is to wipe Islamists out but it's a challenge because these guys are so clever they always seem to escape a losing battle with hostages and as expats we stick out like a sore thumb and would be an easy target in this region, it's not only white but black, Indian Nationals and Chinese that are taken hostage, most of this never makes the news because ransoms are paid.

So it's not just white people targeted and it's all about money these Islamist groups won't honor a cease fire and it's a way of life or mercenary type job for very poor people, if i was about white people then why take Indian Nationals, Chinese and Philippine hostages... doesn't seem to fit, that's my opinion.


----------



## Ram1957 (Oct 14, 2014)

US forces here to stay – Defense secretary

The Philippines still has a Congress and Senate like the US does and they still have a say on what goes on in their country.


----------



## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Ram1957 said:


> US forces here to stay – Defense secretary
> 
> The Philippines still has a Congress and Senate like the US does and they still have a say on what goes on in their country.


That article answered a question I was going to ask Jon but I was not sure if could answer. How many troops are we talking about? I was going to guess a few hundred and the article says 107. Not a lot.

I agree with Duterte that non-military foreigners (he said "whites" but I think he meant foreigners) should get out of the area so that the military can take care of business without being hindered.


----------

