Philippine president dismisses US, British travel warnings

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 14, 2003

Philippine president dismisses US, British travel warnings

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Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Saturday dismissed the latest travel advisories issued by Britain and the United States as "off the track," saying her government has achieved "substantive gains" against various crimes.

"The travel advisories are a bit off the track. We have intensified security measures in Metro Manila and elsewhere and wehave moved with substantive gains against kidnappers, terrorists, and drug syndicates," Arroyo said in a statement.

Assuring the safety of tourists and returning overseas Filipinoworkers, Arroyo promised that the government will "continue to press on with high police visibility and presence and broaden our anti-crime and anti-terrorism dragnets to keep solid margins of public safety."

Britain and the United States on Friday warned their citizens of street crimes in the Philippines and stressed that terrorism and kidnappings remain a danger in the country's south.

To curb rising crime activities, particularly kidnappings, authorities began the deployment of more than 7,000 policemen and soldiers on Monday to checkpoints set up in various strategic and highly populated areas in Metro Manila besides hundreds of beat patrols.

Moreover, the military will provide 31 teams of elite soldiers on special detail, with each team composed of eight personnel, Angelo Reyes, head of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, said earlier.

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