Now that PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. revealed that money changed hands for the release of ABS-CBN Anchor Ces Drilon, Loren has a lot of explaining to do. Remember that she’s the one who said that Ces was released “unconditionally”. Now, Madame Senator, what can you say about this?

Nick is right when he lambasted Loren for publicly telling the world that she’s one of the instrumental negotiators that helped in the release of Ces. Loren is not a trained negotiator. She’s a politician. And politics should not intervene with police matters such as this kidnapping.

I hate to say this, but Loren should not have allowed herself to be embroiled in this kind of situation. How can she extricate herself from this? My sources say, Loren reportedly even offered a part of her pork barrel funds to the “backers” of the kidnappers for the release. A highly reliable source even revealed that this tactic was used when Loren interceded in the release of Arlyn dela Cruz and all other hostages, including those kidnapped by communist guerillas.

This is a highly explosive and controversial issue. Imagine, a senator of the Republic involved in this scandal! The Blue Ribbon Committee or even the Senate Ethics Committee should investigate the extent of the senator’s involvement in this traversy of justice.

One, the Senate should investigate Loren if she, indeed, used her pork barrel funds in exchange for the release of Ces.

Two, how much did Loren committed to these thugs. And lastly, did Loren gave a few millions in the P5 million ransom payment given to the Vice Governor and Indanan Mayor Isnaji?

As of presstime, the PNP and the DOJ has charged Mayor Isnaji and his son Haider of four counts of kidnapping. The PNP said that they are principal players in this kidnapping charade.

Question—will government charge Loren for violating government policy against ransom payments?

I take my hat to Razon and his men for investigating this incident. Truly, sir, you have redeemed yourself in this.

For Legarda, finding the right connection to the kidnappers and being firm with them was the key to her eighth successful negotiation.

But if we look at it from the point of view of the whole aspect of government policy towards the non-payment of ransom. She is zero for eight. And if she really was successful in her endeavors, then truly there should never have been even more kidnappings after her first “success”. Give us all a friggin break, Madam Senator, this is not for the good of the people, for if it were, she would just have sat on the sidelines.

But she cared, you say? If she wanted this for the greater good of our nation, then she should have made the hardest decision of them all, to keep negotiators in front, keep the no-ransom policy intact so that we wouldn’t embolden the enemy.

The fact that there has been eight kidnappings with her as the hero of them all, is testament to the fact that the word successful is subjective if at all a reality. The fact that a senator is “needed” is testament that our military is more politicized than we thought, where politics trumps standard operating procedures. Where training is no longer needed for a negotiator, the person only needs to be a politician.

The fact that a mayor was the key negotiator, and by extension Loren Legarda, shows that the military has the lack of Standard Operating Procedures in place, where they do not have for themselves, a central individual where all information and dialogue go through. And if they do have, as they should, these SOPs, then as I have said, it is politics that still trumps everything when it comes to police and military action.

This is why we have to have ransom being paid, because there are so many people who want to be involved, that the kidnappers get what they want, the politicians get what they want, and we are all left scratching our heads as to how the kidnappers have just bamboozled us out of millions once again.

And don’t even start with me that no ransom was paid.

Board and lodging fee is ransom! Payment for LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS is ransom! Who the hell does the government think they are trying to fool? Kindergartners? Even my five-year-old niece would probably cry out, RANSOM!

Read the writing on the wall. RANSOM WAS PAID!

Let’s define ransom, “payment for the release of someone”. Uhmmm… They were released. Payment was made? Ergo, RANSOM!

The stupidity of our government, the stupidity of our politicians, does not have to trickle down to non-politicians, and actual thinking beings such as ourselves.

In the end, this was a travesty where lives were used as pawns, where politics reared its ugly head where it did not have to be, and we The Filipino People, especially those in Sulu, are no closer to getting rid of these terrorists, than before the kidnappings even took place.

Success for Loren Legarda? I’m afraid only in terms of poll numbers.

She has destabilized our negotiation process, not strengthened it. She has made a mockery of these kidnappings. And the military has once again shown why they are whipped and need to shape up if they wish to end this decades long insurgency. Ces Drilon was released by utilizing nothing short of a chaotic mess that is representative of our government and military.

For Razon’s “senatorial” campaign? Since the start of the year, there are talks that Razon is being primed as a senatorial bet come 2010. I have nothing against Sonny Razon. In fact, he’s one of those “nice” guys I would love to see debating against the likes of Lito Lapid who, incidentally celebrated this day as his first day when a bill of his was passed into law (Mark this day–17 June 2008 as the day when Lito Lapid became a legislator). Or, it would amuse us even further to see Razon debating against the erudite Miriam, probably even daring Miriam to go jump over that fabled bridge in Sta. Ana Manila.

All the signs are there–naval blockades, PNP special ops teams on the ground…shelling. These are just cosmetic “fireworks”. They are just “precursor” to a main event—the dramatic “rescue” of Ces, without, of course, casualties or even a fire fight.

Its perfect—media reporting vigorously on what’s happening…the kidnappers demanding ransom and setting a deadline and eventually dropping it, saying its “indefinite”. These events are build-ups leading to what?

Seriously, there’s something brewing out there and I think that within the next few days, we will see Razon escorting a tired and stressed out Ces in a Malacanan-sponsored press con. Ces has become hot property right now, thanks to a “silent” media. Despite legitimate appeals from Malacanang and Teresita Ang-See, journalists still scrambled to go to Sulu and Zamboanga to cover Ces’ kidnapping. How “cooperative” media is!

I am sure that within the next few days, Ces, his cameraman and Prof. Dimampo will be released by their young captors. Like those before her, Ces will be hauled immediately to Zamboanga to board a plane for Manila. There, like the rest of the kidnapped victims under this administration, they’ll be presented to the president for that precious photo op.

And surely, Razon, the “would-be senator”, will be there.

Will we see Mayor Isnaji also in Malacanan? Possibly. Or that Vice Governor becoming governor through the funds of Malacanan? This kidnapping stunt added more pogi points for them. The more these things happen in their island, the more powerful these two will become.

Well, this kidnapping caper will definitely end like the rest of them. It will end with Mayor Isnaji cementing his authority, not just in Indanan but even possibly dislodging Sulu Governor Abdulsakur Tan from his post. Remember that Sulu right now does not have a “strongman”. This incident would surely make Isnaji a shoo-in as Sulu governor.

Expect surprises, my friends.

Hearing about what happened to ces for the 1st time last week left me dazed for the 1st hours. i never thought it would happen this close to home. I was “lutang” most of the day. the full gravity and danger of her ordeal didnt hit me till much later—-and it was when I started to feel sick to stomach. there was a heaviness inside—-like tears that wanted to come out but never found the tear ducts to flow from.

I must admit i was one of the few skeptics on Ces’s capabilities as a journalist before I got to work with her. Prior to my joining abs-cbn, Ces always to me the “sosyal” anchor of abs-cbn, someone probably had the bitchiness and style of a miranda priestly. She wasnt masa. and to me—-she just didnt seem reachable.

her sosyal bitchy image ecplised the kind of journalist that she is—-driven, passionate, sharp, smart, well connected, indefatigable. a true professional. that’s sometimes how unfair TV can be as a medium. It rarely ever shows the complete big picture, but mere snapshots of a reality thats out there. Unfortunately for Ces—no matter how much she mastered the art of making sure the snapshots of reality of there she showed onscreen was truly reflective of the reality—her own personal image as a glamour girl—-a figure from high society—-who didnt really take up the cudgels for the masses the way other radio-tv anchors did—-was the big block to viewers seeing the Ces I know.

and the Ces I know, I knew only because I got to work with her 1st hand.

if you walked the halls of abs-cbn before this abduiction happened—-not a few would say she’s suplada.

Not to me.

the Ces is know is this tireless passionate worker who never fails to make time or make her work an excuse for bad fshion—-and for that matter, a bad attitude.

she took an interest in the south—-i never could reckon how many times in a year she was in mindanao than here in manila. its like everytime she’s out of town on coverage—-expect her to be somewhere down south.

I guess growing up as a general’s daughter meant that she spent time in mindanao—-a place rife with stories that once told—-could spell a big difference in the lives of residents in the country’s poorest major island group.

she saw 1st hand as a young lady how life was there—-and how much it could be changed. of course she did it with the right fashion statement but then again—-can you fault the girl—-TV is still a visual medium. Besides, who wants to be ugly? Duh?!

She maybe all strong and may even seem bitchy but she’s a sweetheart—with a heart for those down south. she’s probably one of thew few national journalists who have spent a huge deal of their lives and careers chronicling lives down south. she could have chosen other places where there are equally potent stories to tell—-but she chose mindanao, she chose sulu. for some reason—-she had a love affair with this region—-a love for its people—-and a special care for the heart and soul of mindanao and sulu.

thats the ces few viewers appreciated. thats the ces I know and i respect—and admire as a professional. I must admit coming into this job, coming into this company—i had different role models—-people you aspire to be—-but she is living proof that sometimes—on the way to your dreams—-you get lost—-and you find a better one.

But my admiration for Ces didnt stop there. it grew and became a friendship—-when she and I got to work closer during the may 2007 polls, and over Bandila.

she was generous with her contacts and context and story slants. she shared them—-with me at least—-even when she could have gone out and gotten those stories herself. we’d trade stories and chsimis (which are almost always where legit stories begin) nightly—sparring like equals. she never made me feel that she was the super anchor that she has become. she was always humble and kind. and had no airs. she never acted or talked like she knew more than I did—-even when she did know more. she never unilaterally dismissed what i said like others who are just wont to dismiss the opinions of a junior colleague. she was more like this encouraging ate—older sister. sometimes we’d even do this while sharing a late dinner from one of those chinese places on morato. I enevr could forget also how much she enjoyed naman one time i brought chiz curls from the cafeteria—apparently she hasnt had chiz curls in a very long time.

everytime id order something fattenning for dinner she’d get mad—-sorta—-because she was worried about gaining more weight.

when I was planning a resignation last year after months of destitution in this newsroom—-she was one of those who changed my mind. believe it or not—-she may have her not so nice days but ces is one of the most down to eart people youll ever meet. sometimes in her humility, she tends to second guess even herself—-which is cute by the way—-but very much endearing. in the aftermath from the Peninsula standoff—-she was actually sorta fuzzing about the much ballyhooed stiletto heels and leopard print bandana she just so happened to wear that fateful day. even in her professionalism—-she is still a girl. Cute!

overtime those professional discussions graduated into hearty talks about our personal lives in charie’s office inside the newsroom. every now and then she and I and those who work the late shift would grab a round in her bar/resto across the street. from trading and sparring stories about the country—-we went on to sharing stories about our families—-her kids—-my mom and sister—-her dream and aspirations for her 4 sons—-the trips she took them on—-the pcitures they took—-the worries she had for them growing up—-just like every other mom. you know she had just come back from a US vacation when this harrowing ordeal happened. she brought us all cholocates for pasalubong. walang mintis iyan—-everytime she vacations out of town or out of the country—-she’s wont to bring us back something.

Other people may have a different opinion about her but they know her differently. The Ces I know, is the Ces I just talked about. which Is why I will not mince words against anyone who dares to say otherwise. those morons—-are either just envious—-or just clueless who she really is.

Ces has a lot of questions to answer—-a big story to tell when she returns. and the compelling storyteller that she is—im sure its gonna be one for the books.

But ces is not one to do anything irresponsibly. there are things she could have done better—-but that wont alter her place as one of the top journalists abs-cbn—-and the philippines for that matter, has produced. she best serves the country and the people she loved—-by being the journalist that she’s become.

Questions have been raised in several blogs and broadsheets as to what she was doing there and whether it was worth the risk she took. those questions will have to wait till she gets back. For now, lets give her the benefot of the doubt—-that whatever it was she was after—-it was something inpursuit of excellence in journalism—-and that the risk she took—-was one she took in good faith and with the right professional calculations. Shit happens to anyone and everyone even the best of us. Its just one of the lemons life throws us every once in a while.

we will get her back—-with prayers. Keep on praying for Ces, Jimmy and Octavio—-bring them home safely with Divine Providence.

The incident could not have come at a worst time, with the giant network’s owners embroiled in the very public, and public-sensitive, media and corporate squabble with the government of the day as personified by state employees mutual fund manager Government Service Insurance System, with its very vocal and media savvy chair Winston Garcia. Garcia is also scion of congressman Pablo Garcia, patriarch of the leading supporters in Cebu of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

And the Garcias have their own muscle in both print and broadcast media. The Garcia-owned Cebu Sunstar and the Daily Tribune appeared to be the only two Philippine ‘mainstream’ broadsheets which did not abide by the 48-hour story embargo sought, and obtained by ABS-CBN between Sunday June 8 through to Monday June 9.

That story embargo was only broken, at least in Manila, in the late afternoon of June 9, when government radio station DZRB Radyo ng Bayan, GMA network’s AM band station DZBB and DWIZ 9 (owned by ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua who also own the Business Mirror) were to do separate phone-patch interviews with national police chief Avelino Razon about Drilon’s disappearance at between and 5:00 pm and 5:3 pm.

The first story breaks on radio, the earlier dispatches on the international new wires of the Associated Press, and the International Herald Tribune’s on line edition gave the government TV network NBN the raison d’etre to ‘go with the story’ in its evening news that fateful Monday.

That editorial ‘decision to air’ triggered denunciations all around that “government had no business appealing for media restraint as it was a public media entity that “violated’ the story embargo, a voluntary action usually held ‘sacrosanct’ by those in the fraternity of journalists for select, sensitive situations, and breaking events .

This account of how the embargo was broken is shared here in detail by the author to put in proper context the official news blackout which is still tenunously holding on the ground in Sulu where journalists have been camped out now for over a week to cover the running story.

(Sidebar: the very place where Drilon and her news crew stayed before making that fateful trip to Maimbung, Sulu for a “special event” with professor Dinampo as guide, the Mindanao State University Hostel, is now the de facto become the ‘media center and press working area’ for the abduction coverage.)

Over the previous 72 hours, military authorities have been busy positioning troops and materiel for that ‘final option’ should the negotiations to resolve the kidnapping without incident fail.

Over the weekend, the Navy warship BRP Bacolod City docked at Jolo Port, disgorging augmentation troops and military hardware. Soon after at around 3:00 am Sunday, Philippine Marines sent their 80-mm mortars and 107mm pack howitzers into action, sending explosive projectiles barreling into the uphills of Mt. Tumatangis in the Patikul-Indanan corridor in the same general vicinity where Drilon and company where last seen on foot with their captors.

News accounts say the howitzers fired about a dozen rounds, and the mortars an estimated 25, on orders of Major General Juancho Sabban, head of the anti-terrorist Task Force Comet, and with the higher command ‘green light’ given by AFP Western Command chief, Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga.

In proper cadence both officials, and ARMM police chief Joel Goltiao, gave newsmen ‘textbook responses’ to the bombing episode saying they were regular ‘live firing’ activities’ designed “to make our presence felt every time there are situations of suspected Abu Sayaff activity in an area.

The collateral toll of the weekend operations: at least 5 civilians injured by shrapnel who had to be admitted at the Sulu Provincial Hospital and around 40 went and left after getting out-patient care. Some 200 more families from two uphill barangays also had to evacuate from their homes.

This Tuesday morning Manila time, the bright sun is up in Jolo and according to radio journalist Zeny Masong whom this writer phoned about two hours ago (it is 8:00 am as I write this post), the night was quiet, with the press corps focused on the approaching 12 noon deadline given by the kidnappers for Indanan mayor Alvarez Isnaji to ‘deliver’ the 15 million pesos they are demanding in exchange for the release “as one batch” of hostages Drilon, Dinampo and Ercarnacion.

As Isnaji told reporters yesterday, “nagbigay na ng warning sa akin. Pag di pa dumating ang ano hanggang 12 noon bukas, Tuesday, sabi nila wala na. Meaning, kahit hindi na daw ako makipag-usap sa kanila… Wala nang negosasyon (They already gave a warning that if they do not get the ransom payment by 12 noon Tuesday, they will stop negotiations for the captives release).”

It is now the lull…

Masong told this writer the kidnappers called Indanan mayor Alvarez Isnaji, the lead negotiator at 8:50 Monday morning to relay their “ultimatum” for Drilon’s mother “to come up with the money.” The negotiator was then allowed to talk to Drilon who he said “sounded disturbed.”

He quoted Ces as saying her mother had no choice but “to promise the payment of any amount, even one billion,” because at the time the kidnappers were talking to Mrs. Drilon by telephone, Ces was being held at gunpoint. Drilon was also quoted as say, “palagi na kami nakagapos (they are now keeping us tied.”

Asked about the barrage of cannon and mortar fire let loose by the military in the direction of Mt. Tumatangis early Sunday, Ces Drilon reportedly said they were far from where the bombardment was directed.

Amidst the din of all the prognostications and free-for-all posts in the blogosphere about just why Ces Drilon, an established TV journalist, decided to ‘insert’ herself into a no man’s land, where criminals instead of government force ‘in overwhelming numbers have mastery of the terrain, we have finally come across a worthy and most succinct comment from the mainstream press.

We refer to the Inquirer’s Conrado De Quiros whose commentaries against the government of the day are legend.

Here’s De Quiros’ take:

(Emphasis mine)

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20080616-142886/Waiting

June 11, 2008

The call for media “restraint” on the kidnapped Ces Drilon case is an example of subjective and unethical reaction.

This is subjective and unethical simply because the entire act of calling for media “restraint” is an effort to treat her and her crew as special and powerful personalities in our society. Journalists, wherever they are and regardless of nationalities, MUST not be treated as”specials and favored citizens” as they should be because they treat everyone equally the same–heads of States, government officials (elected or appointed), suspected criminals, hostages or hostage-takers and convicts. That’s part of the ethics of the trade. And we must adhere to that.

Journalists never ask for media restraints while they cover terrorists’ bombings and gory details are photographed for front pages or the hourly broadcasts on radio and TV. Why ask in Ms. Drilon’s case?

The problem is some of us in this trade, obviously cannot see that clearly particularly if he is the one directly or indirectly affected by the events or circumstances.

As news persons, Ces Drilon and her crew must have known what they were getting into.
Everybody–specially editors and publishers and fellow journalists–should have known that. They can all work out privately whatever they want but to call for media restraint and make that public is uncalled for.

And I would like to take this chance to apologize to the members of the Abu Sayyaf Group based in Jolo. It seems that, from the information being gathered so far, the group is not really the ones responsible for this stupid kidnapping caper. No.

Based on current information, there’s some credibility to the news that other groups, possibly belonging to a military asset, kidnapped Drilon and blamed it on the ASG. The fact that no statement has been issued by the terror group indicates that they are not really behind the abduction.

Nonetheless, I stand by my earlier posts demanding for the obliteration of the name “Abu Sayyaf”. I still believe that Muslims everywhere should do their duty to cleanse the name of Islam in Jolo and those of the kind people of Sulu and the Tausugs.

The “brand name” of the Abu Sayyaf has been tarnished beyond repair. Imagine, every lawless element there could just claim to be Abu Sayyaf members and demand a high ransom. The brand name has become synonymous with extremism, banditry, terrorism and plain kidnapping.

Preserve the purity of the Bangsamoro struggle by forming another group that would push the idea of independence without necessarily resorting to terrorism. If the Muslims are dead serious in their fight against imperial Manila, do so by following the precepts of Prophet Muhammad and his followers when they waged their own struggles in their times.

Muslims of Jolo should start cleansing their ranks by obliterating lawless elements and military agents in their midst. Afterwards, let them continue their struggle for Bangsamoro independence by using legitimate revolutionary tactics that combines both peaceful negotiations and armed struggle.