ILOILO CITY? Vietnam withdrew participation in the two-day Philippine International Mathematics Competition held here on Monday in the wake of the mass murder in Maguindanao.

Rechilda Villame, Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines executive vice president, said Vietnam did not join the contest because of its concern over the peace and order situation in the Philippines.

Villame said other countries also expressed worry over the election-related massacre of at least 57 persons, including about 30 journalists, in Maguindanao.

?Their impression [is] that it is happening all over the country,? Villame said.

?But we were able to convince them that the venue is very far from the scene of the incident. So far, it?s only Vietnam who did not trust us that it was this peaceful,? she said.

She said news of the murders were exaggerated elsewhere because some countries were asking if airports were still open in the Philippines.

?With the power of technology and communications, we were able to convince them that everything is peaceful (in Iloilo City) and that there is nothing to worry about,? Villame said.

She said the delegations of four other countries backed out, not because of the Maguindanao mass murder but due to financial constraints and failure to secure visas of participants.

Villame said delegations from Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh backed out due to lack of funds, while the one from Russia failed to secure visas.