Other countries urged to lift travel advice as well

CEBU, Philippines — Police authorities in Central Visayas are urging other nations to lift their travel advisories against Cebu just like what the United States did, saying there is no imminent terrorism threat in the province or region.

Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery, Police Regional Office-7 director, said he was delighted with the news that the US has already lifted its prior warning to its citizens wanting to travel to southern parts of Cebu.

Two days after the US issued its latest travel warning in April 2017, government troops clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf Group members in Bohol, who were all neutralized in subsequent operations.

In 2016, the United Kingdom joined a number of countries to issue a travel advice to its citizens for Mindanao and parts of Cebu, citing “threat of terrorism to persist.”

Other foreign countries followed suit, including Australia, Canada, France, South Korea, and New Zealand.

Quenery hopes these nations will reassess the threat situation in the province and possibly lift any other travel advisories.

“Yes, we hope. Anyway sabi ko naman yung threat ng terrorism sa Central Visayas is not imminent,” he said, emphasizing that the US lifting meant that the security situation in the region has improved.

“Now if they have lifted it already, it only manifests that the threats to respective nationals are lessened already or minimized,” Quenery added.

In spite of the positive development, the PRO-7 chief assured that security forces are not complacent about the threat status in the whole region.

“We still have to be on guard. We should always be alert and aware of the security requirements,” he said.

On March 29, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) is set to celebrate its founding anniversary, and according to Quenery, the celebration is usually marked by violent activities.

“The alert status of the PNP always depends on the activities or events that are forthcoming. Yung paglalagay ng travel advisory not only from the US but also other countries would depend on the threat situation. We would be raising our alert status by then (referring to CPP-NPA anniversary),” Quenery said. — KBQ (FREEMAN)