Philosophical 11

Greetings All,

I have kept this topic apart from my Sipalay thread because I feel it is important enough to have its own thread. I have published it on another forum but thought I would give it an airing here.



I have been living in Sipalay with my gf for the past 5 months and I thought I would share this with you for any advice or comment. I think any advice might be of use to a few of us newbies.




I live in a detached house with its small grounds surrounded by a wall and the gate is always padlocked even no matter if we are in or out. My gf does not willingly allow me to venture out the gate alone.




We live near a couple of places which I would call dens of iniquity. Strange things are smoked washed down with coconut wine. We have had what I would call 3 minor incidents during my stay here. Once when passing one of these dens, someone who appeared high on something made lewd comments to us. I did not understand .... but she did. Once when walking to get an early morning taxi to Bacolod, we were accosted by 3 men who invited us to somewhere in the opposite direction to get a taxi. my gf refused. Finally and more seriously, we were walking home at dusk (we normally get a tricycle) and a young man in his mid-teens tried to snatch her purse and phone. He failed and ran off into the night. Lesson learnt that night.... her father will collect us in future and no purse or phone would be on view in the future.




This got us thinking about general security for house and personal safety.




For personal security, we have learnt a lesson. To add to common-sense and vigilance whilst out and about I have ordered a can of pepper spray. Wont deter a run and grab thief or drive by shooting.... but would incapacitate a would be assailant for about 30 mins or so.




For home security we have added extra locks. Thought about getting a dog, but I have heard poisoned meat is used on them. I don't like dogs anyway. I have ordered a pair of FAKE CCTV cameras which have a flashing red light and will be clearly visible on the exterior of the house. A sign will be put on gate that CCTV cameras are in operation. Our designated place of refuge is our bedroom. We figure that most robberies take place during the quiet hours at night. Our mobile phones will always be kept there with the emergency number and instant contact with father and uncle who live a few minutes away. Our bedroom door is always locked at night and we have added an additional lock. I intend to acquire an airgun/rifle which will be kept there. Loaded and ready to go. Also, kept there will be the pepper spray when not out and about. The house has all windows barred.




So, there you are. I have come to the Philippines to enjoy my retirement but realise that precautions must be taken. I do not want to feel imprisoned in some sort of Colditz, but need to strike a balance for our safety and to protect our valuables.




Most of you have been longer in the Philippines than I have. I look forward to any comments or advice that may be forthcoming.




Regards




TC




Pete M

Stokkevn

I live in a house that has no bars on the windows ( I would not have these installed when we built the house for fire safety reasons ). Security here is what you make of it. Having discussed it with my wife over several years we have come to the conclusion that my dress sense/quality ( ripped shorts & tee-shirts with holes in, no watch & no jewelry ) would preclude anyone thinking I had money. As for her being kidnapped, I said I would wait a week after she had been taken as I am sure they would send here back to me with their sympathy.

The local chief of police, during one visit mention that guard dogs do get offered poisoned meat, I pointed out to him the three dog bowls that 18 hours after feeding them still had meat in them, he did then admit at that point that my dogs were unlikely to eat tainted meat. You don't have to like dogs, just feed them well and they will protect that food source with their lives. I have a sign on my gate that says "Never Mind The Dogs, Beware of The Owner". The locals smile but are not too sure how to take it. No one ever just opens the gate and comes in and that includes the cleaner and wash women who are there most days.

If you wander around the local 'den of iniquity' I normally take my young dog on a lead, he wants to make friends with everyone but the locals take his friendship as aggression and keep well clear.

On holidays and high days I normally provide the local police station with a box of doughnuts/cakes and a case of coke ( the drinking kind ), it is surprising how many times they wander past the house and unsurprisingly come in for a beer or coffee.

I walk everywhere and have never taken a C-Cat and only a tricycle when I am too lazy to use the car.

It just depends on you out look on life. A friend who was working in Trinidad said that he was coming home to the UK because his car had been broken into, I told him that it was no different to leaving your car in Union St in Aberdeen, he begged to differ as he had only stopped at a set of lights when they jimmied his boot open and relieved him of his laptop.

It is a pity you have felt threatened, I never have. Maybe when you walk past the gentlemen partaking in coconut wine or other substances just chuck a P100 bill to the owner and tell them to top up the natives, you will find out that they are as protective of their occasional windfall as my dogs are of their evening meal.

cymruchris

Two very opposite viewpoints Interesting comparison. I'd go with the second approach personally. Locking yourself inside behind 23 locks holding pepper spray and an air rifle just wouldn't do it for me.

Raffin

I wasn't keen on dogs in the UK but I have grown to like and appreciate them here...of course there is some upkeep involved which I used to have a boy do, but now with no boy do it myself. You can probably bring in someone to do the grooming. Apart from security they are so useful in alerting one to callers..it's amazing, if you get the right breed, how far off they can sense anyone coming.

Gazza-d

And if anyone does break in make sure it is the gf holding the air rifle as it would be illegal for you to be holding it.

Stokkevn

You must have some posh mutts, grooming and breed. Mine are pure bred Azkals or just plain old jungle dogs, need very little grooming apart from pushing them in the river occasionally, I normally get given them by some kind sole who thinks I don't have enough. Well fed native dogs are also pretty resilient when it comes to the dog diseases that make the rounds. The local council gives them their injections once a year for free

Gazza-d

And don't over feed them as they make very poor guard dogs on the neighbours dinner table.

Stokkevn

Unfortunately have lost one that way a few years ago. Karma got him a few months later when he opened the gate and came in uninvited while drunk, you can still see the scars where the other two got him. He keeps his distance now.

Raffin

Yes, they are breeds now as we are living in a 1st class subdivision and it's nice to walk them around, but in the past in a less salubrious residential area we had a number of Askals roaming around the garden...although ours did seem to pick up and regularly die from infections, infestations and worms.
A "Younghusband" standard Askal would be fine, but I think if one can afford to buy and feed one I don't think you can beat a German Shepherd, which we had here in the early years when there was much less security than now. The bark alone will frighten off burglars, you just need to have a big kennel made and position it so poisoned meat cannot be thrown in from outside.

Stokkevn

I had always thought an Irish Wolf Hound would be the ideal one, these come nose to nose with most locals. Having said that I live in a house not in a gated area and have, to my knowledge never had anyone attempt to burgle the house. Plenty has disappeared but that is just family helping themselves.

Philosophical 11

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies so far. I also agree with Stokkevn, I would prefer that approach than cower behind bars armed with pepper spray or whatever. However, I am committed here and if she feels safer in the way I described then that is the way it has to be. Gazza-d....where did you get the premise that the gf should be holding the air rifle if the worst came to the worse? I have spoken to the local PNP here and they reckon an air-rifle is not perceived as a weapon.

The other group I aired this on were less positive. Their consensus was that I should get out of here and move somewhere safer. Again, I am committed here as this where she wants to be. She is an ex-OFW and wants to be with here family. I understand and support her in that. If things get worse, I suspect she will be the one that wants to move, so I will wait and see.

Still thinking about a dog. It might be a last resort.... Again, we will see.

Again, thanks for your thoughts. They are all appreciated.

Take care all.

Regards

Pete M

Gazza-d

It is my understanding that an air rifle is considered as firearm and it would be illegal for you as a foreigner to own.

Gazza-d

I'm on my computer now. Here's an extract from the Firearms law.

"“Firearm” as herein used, includes rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, revolvers, pistols and all other deadly weapons from which a bullet, ball, shot, shall or other missile may be discharged by means of gunpowder or other explosives. The term also includes air rifles and air pistols not classified as toys under the provisions of Executive Order No. 712 dated 28 July 1981. The barrel of any firearm shall be considered a complete firearm."

Philosophical 11

Thanks Gazza-d. It shows you cannot always trust the word of the PNP. If an air-rifle/pistol is classed as a firearm then my gf would have to go through the process of getting a licence which is long and laborious and can take months. And if that is the case, we may as well get a proper weapon. I think this idea is dead in the water.

Thanks again for your time, most appreciated.

Regards

Pete M

Philosophical 11

Hi Gazza-d...again. Just cut and pasted this, and it seems an airgun/rifle is ok...

In the new definition of firearms in RA 10591, below is what is stipulated in Article 1, Section 3, Letter l:

Firearm refers to any handheld or portable weapon, whether a small arm or light weapon, that expels or is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any projectile, which is discharged by means of expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder or other form of combustion or any similar instrument or implement. For purposes of this Act, the barrel, frame or receiver is considered a firearm.

The very definition itself of a firearms is clear and that it will exempt airsoft guns and air guns from being classified as firearms. Both airsoft guns and air guns do not expel a projectile through combustion and use compressed air or gas that does not combine with another gas or powder for any combustion process to push a BB or Air gun pellet out.

Regards

Pete M