Pirate attack Phillipines ?

[RokNRich]

Originally Posted by sobraon

The facts are we were all taken by surprise, my wife and I were only meters away from the initial attack and we were helpless to do anything other than defend ourselves. We arrived at the Oceanview Marina only 3 days before the incident and were away in Davao over the weekend. We returned to our boat only hours before the attack.

Garry,
Thanks for the first hand account. Glad to hear you guys are OK...if it's not revealing too much, what is going on at the marina now ? Are people trying to leave the area ? Have the authorities given permission to leave ? What about new boats showing up, are they staying ? Are the authorities making their presence known ? And, how is the marina handling it ? Are the upping security or still in a daze since the manager was taken ?

Again, thanks, and fair winds.

[pbmaise]

Prosecution of masterminds

Means to go after the men that make the phone calls and have someone do their dirty work. These are the ones that rake in millions of dollars and pay out chump change to hired help with guns.

The former Governor of Palawan and his brother the former Mayor of Coron are being called in the press the masterminds in the killing of a local environmentalist and journalist. That man was gunned down and the gunman is serving life in jail. The "masterminds" meanwhile have enjoyed these past 3 years in a Phuket villa.

There is something I have not been telling you that is a reason why it is important that I take radical steps if it appears my vessel would be boarded. Further, it is partly why I make double sure to try and limit exposure. I already said it is unlikely I would be taken hostage, but didn't tell you the biggest reason.

In addition to not being well received as an American, a gay American is even less likely to last long among Muslims.

And now you know the rest of the story.

ps All they need do is google my name or boat name to find that out so it is no great difference stating it here.

[sobraon]

RoknRich, the marina is getting on with day to day running. In fact Johns Catamaran was hauled out this morning for the scheduled maintenance that was due to happen.

The owners are passionate about the marina and this incident has deeply effected them as it has all of us. Tjarten is the owners brother in law so they are directly related..

We now have 24 hr Army guards stationed here with loaded weapons. Gates and fences are all being upgraded and built. VHF reception has been improves. ( Myself and others raised mayday calls and received no response). Extra watch towers constructed.

Work started on all of these initiatives the very next day.

The owners wife and the Police and Military task force commanders keep us well informed. Police interviews and forensic teams are still at work.

No one is leaving just yet. We are free to go, however the Marina is currently the safest place in the Philippines.

As I write this it is exactly one week ago that this horrible attack occurred.

Whilst we all are getting on with our day to day tasks, all of us are waiting for some good news.

Garry

[Fishbreath]

My god sobraon you and yours are alright.
this is most peoples worst nightmare..
the world shrinks daily as this becomes the norm..
I was sitting in a district line tube train.. in london today,,,,and looked over to see an man with a big beard and a rucksack and all i could think is i hope its not a bomb..
lets all pray that this ends well..

[alansmith]

Garry, thanks for the information. I don't know if this would work for the owners or the boaters. But some sort of a way with cables or thick ropes to keep boats out after dark across the throat of the marina entrance might work. Invaders want quick and easy access and that surely would slow 'em down.

[Sun and Moon]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

To clarify my simply using 3rd World in a security context:

It relates to areas in any country where there is no well trained rapid response police, no popular belief in 'rule of law' , very poor standards of health care and education, all enhanced by poverty, escapism drugs, human trafficking and death squads.

Symptoms observed are a dull but hostile look in the eyes of teenagers and young people who see no personal future.

Using this definition many US inner cities are 3rd world - Baltimore, St Louis, Detroit ...

[alansmith]

PB, totally understood..and I understood it before it was stated. We are all human beings no matter what our sexual preferences are. That is the way u are wired. So, here is the perfect plan for you, smile, inside of your trimaran you should have one of those hatches that you use if the boat goes bottom side up (capsize), right? So, as long as your boat was not the initial site of attack lock your companionway door immediately if it wasn't already so. Turn out the lights. Open the hatch that is under the wing of the boat and drop into the brine. Go the opposite way of the attackers and dive deep and swim as far as you can until your lungs fill like they will pop.

If you are inside the boat when they come to your boat first...hopefully u had the door locked. While they are trying to open the door..which would only take a few minutes of kicking or bolt cutters...slip out that hatch post haste.

Remember always...life is precious...mine is and so is yours. It is all we really have. "those who run away live to love another day." They can't take you hostage if they can't get their hands on you. If you are already in the water and it is night time it is almost impossible to catch you. Many stories of hostage taking or Columbine type shooting attacks...is this...those who played dead, or hid, or were lucky enough to get the hell out of the way survived. Those who were at the initial point of attack or confronted the attacker (s) did not survive. As I posted before....luck of the draw. Be smart...disappear...

[Cap Erict3]

While the piss your pants and run method might save you, it won't help your neighbors.

I am cut from a different cloth, as are many other men. Battle scars are the medals of valor of our tribe.

Enjoy a little cheese with your whine.

I have walked the walk my whole life. I will continue.

All to often victims act like victims.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Just some positive feedback for some of the interesting and good comments above:

SOBRAON - Thanks for adding your detailed post. Small world, that this happened where you are berthed. I appreciate your POV. Glad you are safe.

WEAVIS - I appreciate your detailed post too. Much to consider. I appreciate your POV.

PACEY16 - I also appreciated seeing your comments, as another cruiser's opinion/comments from that area (Samal).

SALEEN411 - Thanks for adding the US State Dept text.

[alansmith]

Cap Erict3, I am not a whiner or a pisser of my pants type of guy either. When faced with 11 men with automatic weapons and you have a steak knife or a flare gun, what do you propose for not getting yourself killed but anyone else in the general vicinity of yourself killed by interceding? Because they will spray the whole area if they go mental...u know that, right?


The men who took down that 911 flight knew everyone on that plane stood a good chance to die. But they also understood that several hundred people were a small price compared to what the two planes had exacted from the twin towers. So, operationally speaking, Cap Erict, what would you have done to save everyone from these 11 men? I am curious how you would have saved everyone. I want to know exactly what you would have done to accomplish that.

[Daddys_Dream]

My g/f is from Isulan and works in Davao. I had made plans visit her in Davao come March. I thought she was being hard to get along with when she told me she will not stay in Davao with me. She said it was to dangerous there. I always heard Davao was safe. Everyone said it was the North Western part of Mindanao that was the most dangerous. It appears things are changing.

Now, after extreme apologies, we have made alternate plans. This is really sad. I pray the victims are recovered quickly and safely.

[alansmith]

Daddy, I am married to a foreign Asian woman. Listen to their intuition. They are rarely wrong.

[Pelagic]

This is worth reading
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...service=mobile

[HighTemp]

So it's all Mayor Duterte's fault?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

While the piss your pants and run method might save you, it won't help your neighbors.

I am cut from a different cloth, as are many other men. Battle scars are the medals of valor of our tribe.

Enjoy a little cheese with your whine.

I have walked the walk my whole life. I will continue.

All to often victims act like victims.

Thanks, but no thanks. if I'm ever your neighbour in a similar situation, please don't go Rambo on my account.

I'm ex-infantry with many years of command experience and I'm firmly in the Weavis camp. To reduce casualties, you would be the first to go down.