James Taylor cancels Manila concert due to PH drug, political issues

James Taylor on Wednesday announced the cancellation of the Manila leg of his tour of the Pacific concert.

The five-time Grammy award winner expressed on Twitter that he has been looking forward to play for his Philippine audience and it saddens him to cancel his concert in the country in February.

“I don’t think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand,” he wrote.

He also wrote that drug addiction does serious harm, and is a world problem. He said that the summary executions in the country are “deeply concerning and unacceptable” to law-abiding citizens.

“For [a] sovereign nation to prosecute and punish, under the law, those responsible for the illegal trade in drugs is, of course, understandable, even commendable; but recent reports from the Philippines of summary executions of suspected offenders without trial or judicial process are deeply concerning and unacceptable to anyone who loves the rule of law,” he wrote.

“I offer my heartfelt apologies for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause my Filipino friends but I must now announce that I will not be performing [in] February,” he added.

All tickets sold will be refunded, and the cancellation of his Manila concert will not affect Taylor’s other plans to perform in other cities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. CDG