Friday, June 13, 2008 De Castro proposes one negotiator in Drilon kidnap case
VICE President Noli de Castro said there should only be one negotiator that would handle the release of ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon and her crew who are believed kidnapped by the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters following the three-hour long Judicial-Executive-Legislative Advisory Consultative Council (Jelac) meeting, de Castro cited his own experience in year 2000 wherein he was also temporarily held captive by the ASG.
"Personally, ABS-CBN must not interfere in any negotiations. They should let the negotiations be handled by the government or by the experts. And there should only be one negotiator who would talk to the abductors," he said.
He said if there would be many people talking to the ASG, there is a high possibility that the negotiations will fail.
In April 2000, de Castro and actor Robin Padilla were held captive by a faction of the ASG in the hinterlands of Basilan while negotiating for the release of kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers.
After a few hours, de Castro, then still a television host, and Padilla were released together with two child hostages after talking to the bandits.
There has been no one designated as official negotiator for the release of Drilon, but the local authorities of Sulu have been tapped to talk to those who could help talk to the abductors.
No negotiations
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., however, cautioned that any negotiations aimed at securing the release of Drilon's group is not authorized by the government.
Teodoro said it is the government's policy not to negotiate with terrorist elements.
"I do not know of any sanctioned negotiations with any abductors for that matter," said Teodoro.
Drilon and her crew Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama were abducted by ASG bandits led by Albader Parad and Gafur Jumdail in Maimbung, Sulu. Professor Octavio Dinampo of the Mindanao State University, who served as the guide of Drilon's group in the province, was also kidnapped by the terrorists.
Teodoro said defense and military establishments want to settle the problem through actions by the Philippine National Police (PNP). "That's a police matter, we're just supporting the police on that matter," he said.
Dangerous
The defense chief said journalists should not venture in interviewing the captors of Drilon, adding that they are going to put their lives in "extreme peril. Many journalists have flocked to Sulu to cover the hostage crisis."
"We can reduce the issue to simple rules. One is to use common sense. The Abu Sayyaf is a known criminal group or gang, which does not respect life or limb, whether you're a journalist or not. So, the mere fact that you want to meet or you want to see the Abu Sayyaf is already something that should not be done," he said.
"I'm not making judgment on actuations at this point in time. It's not healthy to do that. But I think let us also bring the message across that other journalists and civilians should not even deal with the organization or attempt to do so. They put their lives in extreme peril," added Teodoro.
Told that journalists can coordinate with the police, Teodoro said: "How can the local police bring them to the Abu Sayyaf? There is no point of contact between the police and the Abu Sayyaf. Probably if they want to go to certain areas which are quite dangerous because of the presence of criminal elements, then the police or the Armed Forces can provide adequate security but really to meet with criminal elements is something else," he added.
He said journalists can interview the Abu Sayyaf at their own risk. "Well, you do so at your own risk. That's fair, that's a fair game. You can't have your cake and eat it too. I mean you want to go there despite the warnings, you take the consequence."
Teodoro called the kidnapping of Drilon's group as an act of desperation by the terrorist group.
He said the ASG is growing desperate because of their dwindling strength.
"To me, I view it as their getting more desperate. The fewer they become the weaker they become, the more desperate they become. It's like sometimes a situation alligator in the water would open jaws and somebody just walks into it," he said.
He said Abu Sayyaf is a now a disorganized group following the killing of its chieftain, Khadaffy Janjalani, in September 2006.
Use of arms
Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Alexander Yano assured that Drilon and the three other captives remain all right and alive.
Yano made the assurance during an ambush interview at the Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz in Manila as he revealed that the government forces are prepared to use their arms, if necessary, to secure and rescue Drilon's group.
"We have several options from the most benign option to the extreme use of our arms, but all these options we will withhold pending the other activities on the ground so we would not rather telegraph our moves," he said.
Yano said a crisis team committee had already been created in Jolo that included representatives of the military, the police and local government, among others. He said the government forces have an idea as to the whereabouts of the news team, but they prefer to keep it under wraps.
According to the military chief, the no-ransom policy in negotiating with the abductors remains in effect.
Peace and order
Marbel, South Cotobato Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, in a radio interview, said the recent kidnapping in Sulu only shows that the government failed in improving the peace and order situation in the country.
"In a way (they failed) because the government has the obligation to really improve the (country's) peace and order situation," said Gutierrez.
He said the country's problem on terrorism should have been solved a long time ago if those who have the power to stop it really wanted to.
"They refused to end it that's it. It's that simple," he said.
The prelate, during the interview, also urged the abductors of Drilon's group to immediately release the captives.
"My appeal to those who took Ces (Drilon) and her companions is to just let them go. If they want something, just say it," he said. (Sunnex)
