One last suggestion for your friend . Here is a article about the
Abu Sayyaf . They are related to Al-Qaeda . This article just talks about a few of the kidnappings . This goes on all the time over there . Maybe I can find 1/10 of the information on the internet that I can read in the papers over there . Last time I was there these guys found a small group of soldiers out on patrol and tortured them all until at the end they cut off all their heads . They love foreigners of course , to kidnap for ransom .Everyone thinks it won't happen to them , trust me it does . Ok I will shut up now .
