THE UNITED States, the United Kingdom and Australia on Saturday urged their citizens to take safety measures and avoid crowded areas following the explosion late Friday in a Davao City night market that killed at least 14 and wounded dozens. In an “Emergency Message for US Citizens,” the US Embassy in Manila reiterated a previous warning of an “ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence against United States citizens and interests abroad, including the Philippines,” and said it had suspended official travel of embassy personnel to Mindanao. “The Embassy reminds US citizens of the importance of taking preventative measures to ensure their safety and security while traveling and residing in the Philippines,” it said. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel to Mindanao, and “all travel to south-west Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of ongoing terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.”

“There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping. There has been an increase in kidnapping of foreign nationals since late 2015. It’s likely that terrorist groups continue to plan kidnap operations against Western nationals in the region. You should remain vigilant at all times," said the British Embassy. Australian citizens traveling to the Philippines are advised to exercise a "high degree of caution" while those going to Eastern Mindanao may "reconsider [their] need to travel." Meanwhile, Singaporeans in the Philippines are cautioned to "exercise vigilance, and monitor the local news and instructions of the local authorities." The department also advised Australians to “reconsider” the need to travel to eastern Mindanao “due to the very high levels of violent crime and the high threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping.”

It also warned its citizens “not to travel” to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Sulu archipelago and the southern Sulu Sea area “due to the very high threat of kidnapping, terrorist attack, violent crime and violent clashes between armed groups.”

Sympathies

 Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Amanda Gorely expressed her sympathy to Davaoeños.
In light of the attacks, the governments of Australia, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States issue travel warnings against going to Mindanao, Philippines.