UK travel advisory for Mindanao is SOP — PNP

Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., PNP spokesperson. (Photo from a PNP video posted on its Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — The United Kingdom’s (UK) advisory against traveling to Mindanao after the bombing at a mall in Cotabato City before the New Year is standard operating procedure (SOP) in the international community.

“That’s a standard operating procedure to protect their citizens,” Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. told reporters on Wednesday.

In its travel advisory, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago “because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.”

The UK has also advised its citizens against “all but essential travel” to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat, and Siargao Islands) and to the south of Cebu province, up to and including the municipalities of Dalaguete and Badian.

READ: UK issues travel advisory for Mindanao after Cotabato bombing

Durana said other countries also get travel advisories whenever there is a terror attack or any incident that might put their citizens in jeopardy.

“But as far as the PNP is concerned, everything is back to normal in Cotabato City. The security services of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP are on top of the situation,” he said.

Authorities earlier said investigators were looking at the possible involvement of local terrorist groups inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the blast, which killed two and injured 34 people. /cbb

READ: 2 dead, scores wounded in Cotabato City mall blast

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