ZAMBOANGA
CITY: Police authorities dubbed as hilarious the report which included this
city as one of the “Top Dangerous Cities to Avoid (For Now),” asking where in
the city is the threat being portrayed.
Police
Chief S/Supt Angelito Casimiro and Task Force Zamboanga Commander Col.
Andrelino Colina were reported to have extended an invitation to Tessa Riley, the
writer of the said internet article.
In
the said article, Riley ranked Zamboanga on the 9th, describing it as
one place “to seriously steer clear of for the time being,” for the reason that
it has been “the center of a battle between the military and the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) since September 2013.”
Riley
likewise wrote about hostage takings and organized kidnapping-for-ransom plot
targeting foreigners, an idea the two police leaders said is different from what
the city is experiencing now.
Casimiro
stated that the writer can personally witness the peace and order condition of
the city and see how vibrant it is and how happy the people are during
celebrations.
Colina,
for his part, said Riley may have based her report on the 2013 siege as he believes
such description of Zamboanga is “very funny.”
He
added that although the city is being confronted by threats, overall it is still
“very safe.”
Riley’s
statement found in her article posted in the travel website http://www.destinationtips.com
has imputed that “heading to a city plagued with these issues is not
recommended,” an impression a city official also expressed sadness over what he
calls a misinformation.
(NEWS POSTED ALSO IN HARDLINE WEEKLY, PAGADIAN CITY)