America's travel advisory is misleading, says Manila

America's travel advisory is misleading, says Manila

MANILA (UPI): A Philippine official yesterday continued to protest a United States State Department travel advisory that warns Americans against traveling within the country's crime- infested areas.

Justice Secretary Franklin Drilon said the advisory is misleading because it paints a picture of an unsafe Philippines for foreigners.

"To say that the Philippines is a country like Bosnia is not correct," Drilon said.

Drilon stressed that crime occurs in all urban centers, adding that "Manila does not have a monopoly on crime."

Drilon was the latest government official to join the recent barrage of protests aired against the travel advisory issued by the U.S. Embassy in Manila in September 1994 and made public last month.

The travel advisory assessed the peace and order situation in the Philippines and said that crime "is a serious concern."

The advisory noted the government's efforts to engage in peace talks with rebel groups, but added that "nevertheless, rebel presence and/or activity ... poses potential or real security concerns."

U.S. Embassy officials in Manila have not lifted the advisory despite earlier protests from other Philippine officials. Embassy spokesman Jim Nealon said the U.S. State Department assessment of crime and violence in the country was "fairly accurate."

The Philippines' Foreign Affairs Department did not question the accuracy of the advisory but has requested the U.S. Embassy to clarify that the so called unsafe areas are far from metropolitan Manila.

"Representations have been made categorically stating that there are concerns about the unbalanced picture given of the Philippines," Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo said.

Romulo said that Jolo, 800 kilometers south of Manila, and the other areas cited in the report do not reflect the general state of peace and stability in the Philippines.