American Shot Dead In Angeles

[Travis]

I wonder how many of us gets killed a year here in the good ole Philippines http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=613470&publicationSubCategoryId=67 this 1 looks like a contract killing so I hope the news will tell us more but the words married to a Filipina could be the answer :yes: ANGELES CITY, Philippines – A 63-year-old American national was gunned down, as he was about to board his motorcycle at the public market in Barangay Pampang here yesterday morning, police said.In a report to Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Senior Superintendent Danny Bautista, city police chief, said the victim, James Basham, married to a Filipina, was carrying a bag of goods he had bought from the Pampang public market and was boarding his motorcycle when he was shot at close range.The gunman then boarded a waiting red motorcycle driven by another man and sped toward Barangay Kalayaan.Bautista said bystanders rushed Basham to the Ospital ning Angeles where doctors declared him dead on arrival.Probers were still clueless on the killing, Bautista said.A number of foreigners have been killed in this city, some of them apparent victims of robbery.Some of the cases have remained unsolved, while a few, such as the series of killings of foreigners and their Filipino companions last July, led to the arrest of suspect Mark Dizon who is now on trial.In Dizon’s case, the regional trial court (RTC) has ordered a speedy but fair trial, citing the “seriousness and international impact” of the case.Judge Philbert Iturralde of RTC Branch 58 told prosecutor Allan Pasamonte to present at least two witnesses during each pre-trial that started last Aug. 9, and to finish the presentation of all his witnesses this month.Pasamonte said he would present at least 16 witnesses, including four in the car theft and robbery cases filed against Dizon way back in 2003 as well as 12 others in the multiple murder and theft cases related to the killing of retired US Air Force M/Sgt. Albert Mitchell, 70, his wife Janet, 53, and their house helpers Isabel Fajardo, Marissa Prado, and Yulberto Catli in their home at Hensonville Court Subdivision in Barangay Malabanias here last July 22.Iturralde has set special hearings on Dizon’s case in the morning so the prosecution could finish its job by the end of this month.Dizon also face murder charges for the killing of South African national Geoffrey Allan Bennun, 60, and his live-in partner, Abegail Helina, 20, whose decomposing bodies were found in their home at Oasis Hotel and Villas at the Clarkville Compound in Barangay Anunas here last July 12.Dizon is also a suspect in the killing last July 16 of Briton James Bolton Porter, 51, and his live-in partner, Melissa Madarang, 22, in their house at Sta. Maria Subdivision in Barangay Balibago here.

[Inspector]

One argument I always find quite silly with those who try and excuse this as a ...can happen anywhere in the USA or western country, is so glaring I simply can not see how they can compare the two.In the Philippines, and other third world countries, we STAND out. This is simply a poor comparison, not apples to apples, and the same could be said in the USA, where most murders are gang related, and if you happen to be in the wrong area and stand out in any form, you can also get killed there. Problem is, in the Philippines, the foreigner stands out EVERYWHERE, and there is no place to "fit in" despite believing we do.

[Mik]

It's nice to stay home within my high compound walls. It's a huge lot so I "fit in" nicely into my self-made prison. But that's me. I've always been reclusive by nature..

[Travis]

It's nice to stay home within my high compound walls. It's a huge lot so I "fit in" nicely into my self-made prison. But that's me. I've always been reclusive by nature..

sorry sir but a self imposed prison is not the only way to stay safe & I leave it all in Gods hands & walk all around Cebu City but try to be home before I turn into a pumpkin :yes:

[ekimswish]

One argument I always find quite silly with those who try and excuse this as a ...can happen anywhere in the USA or western country, is so glaring I simply can not see how they can compare the two.In the Philippines, and other third world countries, we STAND out. This is simply a poor comparison, not apples to apples, and the same could be said in the USA, where most murders are gang related, and if you happen to be in the wrong area and stand out in any form, you can also get killed there. Problem is, in the Philippines, the foreigner stands out EVERYWHERE, and there is no place to "fit in" despite believing we do.

I mentioned the many recent stories of foreigners murdered in the PI to my wife and said, I never wanna visit Angeles. It seems like they're all in Angeles, and I ain't judging foreigners there, but c'mon! It has a reputation. If you live in Angeles you're putting your life "in God's hands" in the unholiest of cities, if there is such a thing. You can get killed anywhere in the Philippines, but if you live in Angeles, you earn enough street cred for a rap album.

[Inspector]

One argument I always find quite silly with those who try and excuse this as a ...can happen anywhere in the USA or western country, is so glaring I simply can not see how they can compare the two.In the Philippines, and other third world countries, we STAND out. This is simply a poor comparison, not apples to apples, and the same could be said in the USA, where most murders are gang related, and if you happen to be in the wrong area and stand out in any form, you can also get killed there. Problem is, in the Philippines, the foreigner stands out EVERYWHERE, and there is no place to "fit in" despite believing we do.

I mentioned the many recent stories of foreigners murdered in the PI to my wife and said, I never wanna visit Angeles. It seems like they're all in Angeles, and I ain't judging foreigners there, but c'mon! It has a reputation. If you live in Angeles you're putting your life "in God's hands" in the unholiest of cities, if there is such a thing. You can get killed anywhere in the Philippines, but if you live in Angeles, you earn enough street cred for a rap album.

Yeah, while I agree with Fields Avenue and the hotels attracting ONLY sexpats, there are quite a few unholy in the rest of the Philippines, and a vast amount in Cebu itself. One walk through the SM Mall near the French Baker tells me this, let alone a sit down in McDonalds near Mango...an area we can call Fields light. I also know of quite a few retired military guys, married with families (actual old men with old pinays too), living up in AC...as well as Subic...so while AC Fields area might be Mango Square on steroids, if you do the research, you would see there are as many take out girl bars in Cebu, scattered granted, then in that little area of sexpat heaven in Luzon. Also, further on with research...you would also notice the size of AC being quite large, some of these cases of murder on husband, wife and maid...many all away from that little area by Fields and the old Clark AFB. Unholy foreigners are among you in Cebu as well....quite a bit more then you might want to believe.This actually justifies my point, as a foreigner, you stand out, and AC attracts the crime because the concentration of the foreigner stand outs (a lot due to the military bases of old as well as that "area") ....and you WILL ALWAYS be a target to somebody no matter where you live in the Philippines, unless you want to live like MIK...which is fine, although personally, I certainly am not a paranoid individual and have worked and lived in some rough areas of Brooklyn. I now live among the locals, unguarded area, and WANT to live in a safer area, guarded subdivision, simply because it will give me more of a western feel regarding the house and community. The negatives of the PI, IMHO, outweigh the positives at this point, and most of those negatives I do not care for can be solved with a move to an area more secure. I stand by my original statement....standing out is standing out no matter where you live. When you stand out as one with money in a place where there is little, always be prepared.

[sjp52]

Well you could always get a real good tan and dye your hair black and walk with your knees bent like your a little shorter. I myself just walk fast so that I,m a fast moving target.it reduces the odds a little lol.When I was living in a subdivision in CDO, There was a foreigner robbed about 100 yards from our front gates. This was about 6 months ago. he was stopped at the side of the road with his girl and two robbers told him to give them his money and he did. They then shot him in the head. When I heard about that I was a little nervous with it being so close to home. Come to think of it I never did find out if they caught those guys. And it always puzzles me when many a time the foreigner get it but the Filipina stay alive. If they are killing the foreigner to eliminate a witness, Would it not be best to eliminate her too.Some times I wonder where the safest place is to live. In the city, in a subdivision or in the country side where my wives family live. Some times I think maybe its best to live in my city in Canada where there is no body getting killed. When you look at how many foreigners there are in this country and how many are getting killed every day, I think it is a small percentage. So maybe I will take my chances and live here in the wild wild west called the PhilippinesKEEP YOUR HEADS DOWN lol

[Mik]

I'm not paranoid. I'm simply an introvert. Always have been..

[No name]

You chances of dying at home by violence are far greater than dying in the Philippines by violence.

[No name]

PS, last year a guy that was a short time visitor was shot and killed much the same way. Not robbery. Just shot from a distance and sped away on a bike.I suspected he made someone mad, didn't pay the girl in the bar or something along those lines.I'm beginning to wonder if there is just a guy there that hates white people and is shooting them for sport.