Loren Legarda, The Negotiator, And Why She is So Wrong
Written on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 5:32 pm | by NickA current inquirer.net article says it all,
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.
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SONA 2008 FULL TEXT
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. Man, did this ever need to be verbalized and articulated. Gutsy post. Well done.
@Nick Nichols,
I know of many individuals that I’ve conversed with that are on the same wavelength. To herald such an action that Loren keeps making may seem the right thing to do, but such is the opposite reaction when we truly look deeper into the greater issue of national security.
Unlike Gloria, I believe Loren Legarda and because of her good heart she helped in this tragic kidnapping. Now we are happy that ces is safe and well. Loren is definitely president material.
We may grant Senator Legarda her good intentions and purity of heart, and no one should ever wish a fello human being to go through the ordeal of being held for ransom.
But the reason why kidnapping for ransom continues to be an ‘industry in the Philippines as it is in Brazil is because ransoms ARE paid and oftentimes a political and media circus erupts.
This is aggravated by lack of political will, and the component ability of the the nation’s anti terrorist and anti crime apparatus to plan and execute rescue and punitive actions with light speed and precision.
The other necessary ingredient? The readiness of the body politic to accept the risks, and potentially tragic costs of such operations on the part of everyone… the rescuers and captives included.
Remember the classic Israeli raid on Entebbe airport to rescue 100 plane hijacking hostages and the commando operations against those who massacred 11 Israeli athletes during the Olympics in Munich?
The Filipino psyche and political culture will have to attain the maturity and fortitude for such actions.
Actually we do not have negotiators in kidnap-for-ransom cases. What we always have are conduits or middlemen that facilitates the “transaction.” There is nothing to negotiate witht he ASG except the amount of money they’re going to receive. That’s the reason why I agree with the write of the article. Loren should have opted to remain in the sideline if money exchanged hands. For it would only appear that she’s there for photo-ops only. The circus will come to an end whether she’s there or not because in the end the moola will be delivered anyway.
And for a senator as conduit or middleman Legarda has once again cheapened her office.
Kudos for Nick for writing what most of us think about this whole God damned thing!
I almost puke when I saw Legarda beside Ces. It is as if she really was intrumental in all these. She tried to squeeze every publicity juice out of this. And yes Nick, you got it all right–her interference was glaringly immoral and to the legitimate hostage negotiators like the PACER who really did their assignment but got none of the credit.
I am re-phrasing my earlier statement on the article “Ces and ASG Publicity”…This article should have been
” Ces Kidnapping–Loren’s publicity stunt”?
Well, to be fair to Loren Legarda, she was elected to that position by POPULAR VOTE.
What does this mean? It means Pinoys deserve their politicians.
[…] Nick from Filipino Voices is incredulous that a ransom wasn’t 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!” […]
Have you all forgotten the facts? Loren Legarda did not ask for this kidnapping to happen. It was Ces Drilon and ABSCBN who asked her to be involved and help in the negotiations. Ces Drilon also expressed her deep gratitude and appreciation to Loren for all she had done to help secure her release. In fact, Ces said that Loren was her lifeline during her ordeal. So shut up, all of you detractors!
Assumption-whatever:
Nick is right. Loren Legarda is cheap.
Who sent you to write all these? Mar Roxas, Noli, Villar? Miriam? INGGIT LANG KAYO, so SHUT UP MONKEYS? Loren just did her CHRISTIAN duty to help in whatever way! Mga basurero talaga kayo!
Ces Drilon and the families of the other victims, includidng ABSCBN expressed their gratitude to SEN LOREN LEGARDA kaya shut up!!!!!!
Nice post! Thinking that the kidnapping incident was only a “make-believe” is something I don’t want to think about because it’s simply illogical and out-of-this world.
Why are we paying ransom or even “board and lodging fee” and the likes? Hayy
Do we really need politicians to “solve” major kidnappings?
Truly, what really is the stand of our government in events like this?
Maybe thinking about the “make-believe” scenario is a better way to do though it’s a long-shot
If Ces Drilon thanked Loren Legarda, then we should take it at face value that the latter was of genuine help. Unless we’re in favor of returning Drilon and company to the kidnappers so that the authorities can go about things the right way the next time around, i don’t see much point in belaboring this issue.
I can honestly say that I did not help in any way for the release of Ces and crew, except maybe pray. If Loren helped in any way then I for one, do not begrudge her this opportunity to raise her public profile.
If paying ransom was not for the good of the nation, then I don’t think beheading Ces would be the better alternative. Maybe somebody here can volunteer to be kidnapped so that we can finally truly implement the no-ransom policy.
Assumptionista
Of course the victims will thank Legarda. Do they have a choice? Whether Legarda help or not they will be release because the money was delivered.
No one is instrumental on the release of the hostages except the money. Even Legarda knew this.
It is very obvious that many “2010 presidentiables” are behind this cheap and very dirty campaign to discredit whatever Sen. Legarda did to help in the release of Ces Drilon and company. Pure and simple envy. How can anyone explain the deep gratitude shown by Ces when she embraced the senator after her release? How can you explain how ABS CBN thanked the senator? The joint statement of all the families?
Ritghtly so jonas. Money is the principal factor that freed ces and her group and not the negotiators. Sen. Legarda role is in the photo-ops after the release where she could claim all the credit in national limelight and paid not a single cent paid for the ads.
All Hail Loren Legarda our queen and savior! Summon your people my queen and we shall smite thy critics!
well said nick. unfortunately for us, the masa, whom the publicity is addressed to, is greater in number.
hayyy! we won’t win in any way so do it the erap way… damn it!!!
Inggit talaga kayo….kadiri to death!! hahhaa!
Next time there is a high profile kidnapping, please try sending Miriam Santiago instead. hahaha! Siguradong TEPOK ang lahat ng biktima! Or perhaps you can try sending VP Noli instead….
Who to send is not important. The ransom is. Even Allah will not be able to free a single hostage unless he has the bread. Mind you, it’s not the kind of bread Jesus fed his disciples with! LOL!
[…] like The Write Stuff, the suspicions expressed by Patricio Mangubat, the criticisms made by Nick in FilipinoVoices.com, and even the conspiracy theories summed up by whatsikat.com, are all coming to a confusing head. […]
Loren did what she had to do. She’s a friend of the victims and she has done this before. It’s blind rage if you tell her that she didn’t do well as a negotiator.
Assumption-whatever:
Sorry to inform you, but I am a pretty monkey! Sexy and smart, too.
Assumption-whatever: I had a rich neighbor who was kidnapped but were not at all related to your senator, why was she released ALIVE without having to get a “help” (hey peopple, stop snickering) from your senator?
Because she had money. Malas mo pag ikaw na-kidnap, at kulang ang ma-raise ng pamilya mo na pera. At napakalaking malas lalo kung walang media coverage dahil walang photo-op ‘yang senadora mo. I don’t need to tell you what your kidnappers will do.
Ako? Sorry, wala akong pera. Hehe. Saka kaibigan ko mga kidnappers… pulis character ako e. ‘Pag di mo ma-dig, magbasa ka ng column ng mga Tulfo.
benj, Legarda’s role is okay but don’t call her “negotiator” because she’s not. In fact, nobody is. Everybody is a conduit, a facilitator, a middleman. Nobody negotiated on nothing. The kidnappers did not talk with those who can free the hostages. They talk with those who can deliver the goods.
yes, this article is so true…Ces and company won’t be free right now if not because of the ransom money. She shouldn’t be thanked for their freedom at all and be there at the photo-op like she was with them through the whole ordeal.Yes, it is a free campaign ad for her…good job Loren in doing your Christian duty (if that is how you look at it)
This whole issue is very plain and simple:
ENVY…. from a bunch of “holier than thou’s.” There is no point at all in arguing about this issue with a bunch of envious people who do nothing but see the bad in others. It simply sucks. Congratulations Senator Legarda for a job WELL DONE! Let your detractors fry in their lard full of green envy, let them grit their teeth! Just do what you know is best.
I congratulate those who produced the ransom money. Come on people, let’s be real. Like I said, even Allah or Jesus will never be able to free the hostages if they don’t have the millions. Legarda? Well, she’s pretty in pictures isn’t she?
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080622-144057/Why-I-helped-Ces-Drilon-my-ex-news-buddy
So the “negotiator” negotiated for the amount of ransom money that was to be paid?
If so, then Loren Legarda became complicit de facto to the act of kidnapping, don’t you think? If no ransom money changed hands and she got the victims out gratis et amore, then by all means, hail her a heroine!
But if she helped or facilitated the release of the hostages knowing full well that her “negotiation” act or move involved ransom money, then she should be rightly exposed for what she did, a a mercenary act of sort…
Loren Legarda makes me sick. Christian duty my ass, if you were any bit Christian you wouldn’t have been such a show off to the press like the hypocritical pharisees.
Loren said they were unconditionally released?
Now officials admit a ransom was paid???
You have some explaining to do, “honorable” senator.
YOU MAKE ME SICK.
My countrymen why are we like this? Even in the response on this issue nobody agree with each other. Everybody have their own Point. wanna know why? its sad but true We are Pinoys! Even 10-20 people respond to this article dont agree and not only that they are trash talking to each other. Would you expect that the media will be united and trustworthy? would you expect the AFF will follow SOP and be trustworthy? would you expect our politician to be trustworthy? no way keep on dreaming my countrymen! Before we expect people to do the right thing let us do the right thing first. Sad but true kahit anong mangyari walang patutungahan mabuti and ating gobyerna at ating bansa. Why? becaus we are all full of sh*t inhcluding me for writing this…. hinda naman siguro lahat.
sawang-sawa na ako sa pambababoy at pambabastos nga mga tao na may kapangyarihan. Sabi nila Walang magbabayad ng ransom. eh ano ang nangyari? may nagbayad din at may kumita pa! anong tawag mo sa mga ganong tao? milyon milyon ang mga ganyan tao sa atin bansa. Isa pa marami sa atin ang oportonista! yan! sikat na news caster ng sumikat tumakbo ng senador. anong tawag mo dyan?
Maniniwala lang ako na may konti pang chance na bagbago ang atin bansa. Konga makakasuhan ang lahat na nagkamali sa kidnapping na ito at makukulong. Ibig sabihin may justice parin. Pero suntok sa bwan na mangyari yong! Peso mo manalo isang Libo!
“Where training is no longer needed for a negotiator, the person only needs to be a politician.”
— bitter truth. Well-pointed out
oh well, after all is said and done, and the bickering over. We are all back to the sad state where we started. Kidnappings are just a by product of a larger socio-economic problem in Mindanao. After the “election” rigging, the “ARMM mutiny” led by Misuari et. al, it is not surprising that politicians will jump into the bandwagon for media mileage. All pronouncements made by Legarda and others are just 2010 statements to media. There far more important issues to resolve like the prices of oil, the search for alternative fuel. Education, and Social Services for every taxpayer.
And to those Loren supporters, I have nothing against her. But let me ask you this, who is the BOI Chairman that gave license to the pyramiding companies way back 2002? Who owns virtually 150 ha. of land not covered by CARP in Batangas? Who worked for the largest Filipino monopoly of public services? All of these controversies must be answered first. I am tired of spin jobs from PR practitioners that they hire.
Problem is, Pinoys keep dancing to the tune of those spin jobs.
Until Pinoys grow enough brains there’ll ALWAYS be a market for the profitable antics of politicians and The Media.
Correct. We are in dire need of Filipinos who have common sense of what is right and wrong. We are so deep in patriarchal politics, that people do not know the difference from drinking a glass of sand from a glass of water.
These kidnappings only show one of the many reforms needed in our society, and we need it now. In my honest opinion, one thing that we could do is abolish the multi-party system that we currently have. This is brought about by the EDSA fanaticism of ‘86, we have lost track of the logic that freedom has its limits. Stick with a two party system, from there issues take a focal point and not personalities. Turn coats will be barred from participating in the next election. Implement with finality the Anti-Dynasty Law which is frozen in the House of Representatives. The President’s term be cut to 4 years only with a benefit of re-election for another 4 years. Uphold the national ID system to automate elections and to streamline tax collection.
My friends, more than anything else, let’s not be branded as “atenistas”,”lasalistas”, “assumptionistas”, “ilocanos”, “visayans”, et. al. We are all Filipinos, sadly, until we think as a collective community and find resolutions together. We are just a bunch ill - fated nomads in the 21st century. Look at this comment trail, mostly delved on personalities not on the issues at hand.
suggested issues you may wanna think about:
- the 700 million peso fertilizer scam. Jocelyn Bolante (the primary suspect) is in New York still and intends to be back here in RP to his old job here in the Philippines as EVP for Prudentialife.
- Northrail/Southrail Project undertaken by the DPWH.
- The Overpriced Macapagal Boulevard.
- Election Rigging in Mindanao, how is Comelec Commissioner Garcillano now and the Comelec Regional Director Bedol?
- ZTE scam, didn’t both Neri and Lozada implicated Abalos? and doesn’t it ring a bell that the DOTC Secretary is clueless on the project?
- Malampaya Natural Gas Drill, we are supposed to be a producer of this resource. Why are we still using LPG on our stoves that are imported at a higher rate? to appease the big three oil players?
Stick on these issues, let’s see whose the real McCoy in government. I would really bet that any PR firm would charge millions just to handle any of these issues since they implicate such “honorable” personalities.
On that note, I’d like to share a favourite quote of mine:
Small minds talk about people.
Average minds talk about events.
Great minds talk about ideas.
Go figure.