Emergency Message For U.s. Citizens: Threat Against Foreigners In Southern Mindanao

[jamesmusslewhite]

 

Emergency Message to U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy, Manila, Philippines

 

September 12, 2013

 

THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO U.S. CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.

 

Threat Against Foreigners in Southern Mindanao

 

The U.S. Embassy wishes to alert U.S. citizens that a credible threat against foreigners has been identified in southern Mindanao.  Individuals associated with known extremist groups are believed to have been conducting surveillance on public shopping malls and western-based cafés in the area, as possible targets of interest. 

 

Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests.  Examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, and other destinations frequented by foreigners.

 

As a result, the Embassy advises all U.S. citizens residing in the southern Mindanao area to exercise extreme caution and re-evaluate their personal safety situation.  The Embassy strongly reiterates its recommendation that U.S. citizens exercise extreme caution when travelling to Mindanao and to keep personal safety and security in mind during any stay in Mindanao.  For more information on security conditions in Mindanao, please refer to the July 4, 2013 Travel Warning for the Philippines that is posted on our web site, http://manila.usembassy.gov/tw7513.html.

 

The Embassy wishes to remind all U.S. citizens to remain vigilant and maintain an appropriate level of personal security in all circumstances by reviewing your personal safety plans; remaining aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitoring local news sources for updates.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

The Embassy is located at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines and is open 0730-1600, Monday through Friday. The Embassy's main telephone number is (632) 301-2000. American citizens needing to speak to the Embassy can dial this number and ask to be connected to the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit or with the Embassy Duty Officer (for calls outside of normal business hours). You can also contact the ACS unit through email at ACSInfoManila@state.gov or through the Embassy Facebook page. Please visit our website for information on all services offered by the ACS unit.

 

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens travelling to or residing in the Philippines enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) program. Registering gives you access to updated  information on travel and security within the Philippines and makes it easier for the Embassy to contact you in case of emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly at the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate.

 

You can also stay up to date by bookmarking the Department of State's website, which contains all current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the current Worldwide Caution. Please consult the Country Specific Information on the Philippines, for general information about the Philippines. For additional information, refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" on the State Department's website.

 

Contact the U.S. Embassy for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by "following" us on Twitter and "liking" the Bureau of Consular Affairs on Facebook. You can also download our free Smart Traveler App, available through iTunes and the Android market, to have travel information at your fingertips.

Edited September 12, 2013 by jamesmusslewhite