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At some point someone in the Beatles camp — presumably Brian Epstein — had decided that it would be a good idea for their 1966 World Tour to make a stop in the Philippines. Perhaps an irresistible sum had been offered. But from the minute they landed things started to go sideways. Quoth George Harrison:
As soon as we got there it was bad news. There were tough gorillas – little men – who had short-sleeved shirts and acted very menacingly.The normal proceedings in those days were that, because the mania was everywhere, we didn’t pull up at an airport and get off the plane like normal people. The plane would land and it would go to the far end of the airfield where we would get off, usually with Neil [Aspinall] and our “diplomatic bags” (we carried our shaving gear – and whatever – in little bags), get in a car, bypass passport control and go to the gig….
But when we got to Manila, a fellow was screaming at us, “Leave those bags there! Get in this car!” … We got in the car, and the guy drove off with us four, leaving Neil behind. Our bags were on the runway and I was thinking, “This is it – we’re going to get busted.”
That didn’t happen, but the Fab Four’s time in Ferdinand Marcos’ Philippines sounds like one of the more miserable experiences of their career. Unfortunately your humble scribe is pressed for time today, but there is excellent coverage available on The Beatles Bible. Carry on.