Cotabato (SOCCSKSARGEN, Region XII)
COTABATO CITY, a real life experience… (SOCCSKSARGEN, Region XII) March 31- April 4, 2012 A lmost everyone believes that Mindanao (Southern Philippines) is a dangerous place to go… it is stigma created by longtime armed conflict in that place, so a lot of friends will say, “why go there, it’s a Muslim region… it must be unsafe for Christians.” Police Camp (nearby) I dismiss thoughts like this. I am not afraid to travel. I love to travel. Chances are I can even dare go to the most remote places. The airport in Cotabato City is located in Maguindanao – a place made infamous by the gruesome political massacre way back in 2009, just a few months before the National elections in 2010. We traveled just few kilometers away going to the hotel where we are going to stay. Along the road, we basically see a lot of uniformed men – i.e. along the ‘check point’ areas. The road is a little b...