The kidnapping of Ces Drilon and two of her crew is reason enough for us journalists, even the public, to get worried. I’ve covered several stories with Drilon (Honasan capture, Manila Penn, among others) but we were never introduced, and we never had the usual chit-chats.
She was feisty but she was, in a way, cool. I think she knows how to make her presence known, and that’s a good thing.
When I heard about her abduction, I was able to immediately picture a Ces Drilon talking in a loud voice–with that angry look–like the way she did at the November 29, Manila Peninsula siege. But of course, that could have been otherwise; Abu Sayyaf is no ordinary group and they are known to be merciless. They can rape any woman, torture any man, and decapitate them afterwards.
At this point, it is not merely about Drilon’s purpose why she went to Sulu. Let’s stop pointing fingers and reserve those who-is-to-blame portion once Drilon and her cameramen (and the professor as well) get back home safe.
What worries me more now is the departure of several beat friends who will cover Drilon’s kidnapping story. Good friends like Noel Alamar and Benjie Liwanag are among those who will fly to Zamboanga then to Sulu. Just hours ago, Noel gave us women at the beat a tight hug and I can’t help but get teary-eyed. But despite the worries, we were even joking to have their file photos taken! haha 
Now I know what my Nixlove and family feels when I’m out for some dangerous coverage. And like them, I have no other option but to cross my fingers and whisper a prayer for my colleagues’ safe return.
when you're really in this job, and you're deeply in love with it, you have no choice but to also kiss danger.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder how our co-correspondent julie is doing it? sabi niya, she sometimes goes to remote villages alone for interviews since she also does the photograph. Hehehe, sabi niya hindi naman daw tlaga ganun kadelikado as we see it on TV.
yeah, a part of me wanted to go to sulu, although I know I won't risk my life for that. Takot din akong ma-rape!! haha :) I think Julie knows the ins and outs of the area kasi taga dun siya kaya easier. Pero look at Ces, she's in and out of Sulu but she was betrayed. Anyway, I've heard Sulu is a wonderful place--its beaches hundred times better than Bora, and super sarap daw ng food. haha :)
ReplyDeletethats true thea! thats also what i tell friends about sulu and about our job. just last week, days before ces was kidnapped i myself was supposed to go to tawi tawi naman for a presidential coverage.
ReplyDeletesulu, basilam, tawi tawi---all very beautiful places that are wasted on people who do not see the potential of their own environment. soo sad.
and also---thats what i tell aspiring young uns who get into this job. its like finding your life partner eh. if you sign up for this job---you gotta love it for what it is---the service, the thrill, yeah, the power, glory, responsbility---and the danger. wala kang babaguhin. lahat, ke gusto mo o ayaw mo, kailangan tanggapin mo. kailangan mahalin mo maging sino, at saan ka man naroroon. nyahahahahahaha!
ReplyDeletehahaha! you are so right! :) parang FG ito! joke :p yeah, love the job "warts and all." lets stay put in Manila, wag na pahirapan mga security natin (PNP and PSG) hehe :)
ReplyDeletehehehe. kailangan sa work eh. tanungin mo nga sa assets mo. sabi ni adrian me mga cute daw na abu sayyaf.
ReplyDeletei really pray that ces and her crew emerge from this unharmed. this is really sad (and scary news).
ReplyDeleteay oo meron nga daw mga cutie na Abu! hehe :) pero mas maraming cute na batang sundalo, masaya mag sight seeing hehehe :)
ReplyDeletenaawa rin ako sa family nila, lalo na sa family nung crew niya :( i hope she gets back safe.
ReplyDeletebut seriously alam mo, at times like this, kung may mas kawawa kesa sa mga nakidnap, its the family of the victims. yung mga naiiwan dito na di na nila alam kung makikita pa ba nila yung mahal nila sa buhay. in the case of journalists like us---they deal with that every single day we walk out the door of our houses---because when you think about it---we dont really have to be in the mountains of sulu, or anywhere special, any coverage has with it its own set of risks. and its the families, our families who have to deal with it. tayo---we signed up for this job---pero sila---hinde nila hininge na tayo eh suungin itong panganib ng trabahong ito. sila ang nahihirapan. sila in a way nagsasakripisyo ng peace of mind nila by being supportive of us as we pursue what we really are and our lives' individual missions.
ReplyDeletesi ces 4 ang anak. si jimmy rin maraming anak. si angelo im sure also has family. silang mga nag-aantay. mga parents, kapatid, anak, kaibigan, life partners. they who out of sheer love for sila ces, chose to be supportive of what makes them personally fulfilled and happy. dont you just feel thankful and appreciative of your loved ones?
sabi ko nga, there's always a choice. ganito lang yan, hindi porke't journalist ka, pag sinabi sayong tumalon ka e tatalon ka naman. what was the point of the coverage first and foremost? wala namang very crucial story to tell about the abu sayyaf group. yes i feel bad that they got kidnapped. but then again, they had a choice. sulu is sulu. and the media can't change that overnight. the media can't always think din that they are above anybody.
ReplyDeleteits so easy to moralize and make 20/20 analyses on hindsight. journalists are prone to making mistakes with the people they trust--sources they keep. no one journalist has mastered this. its not an exact science. we dont know what was her purpose. she deserves benefit of the doubt, if only for the years she's spent. marami satin ngayon---bata pa lang eh nandun na sa labas si ces at nagcocover. any self respecting journalist woould. but no one can be blamed for chasing after a story. carlo lorenzo of gma7 several years back was probably in the same situation. shit happens even to the best of us. just because there are risks involved doesnt mean it shouldnt be covered. every story should be dealt with on a case to case basis---and with the right sources.
ReplyDeletei agree with you on this. but then i have high respect for ces drilon, that's why i guess i expected her to be more responsible and discerning of her sources.
ReplyDeleteit happened to carlo lorenzo. it happened to ces. shows you its never an exact science. her years doesnt make her any less prone to mistakes than any one of us.
ReplyDeleteE RG, iba naman kasi yung kay Carlo Lorenzo. Anyway, maybe I don't have the same passion for the job like you or Ces. That's why I'm not even there anymore. Anyway, to each his own. =) I still wish you guys all learn from it.
ReplyDeleteif you dig deeper, youll find out there are striking similarities. anyhoo---its good you realized that early enough for you to make decisions about your life. marami jan get into this job for all the wrong reasons.
ReplyDeleteright, i sure hope all the others who do not have the same passion leave the job as early as now. marami rin kasing nagpapanggap na magaling na journalist, when in fact they are not. marami lang din kasing feeling magaling. marami din ang feeling may credibility na sila kaya nagyayabang na. sana lang, sana, hindi ang kasikatan o anu pa man ang nagmomotivate sa maraming nasa media na manatili sa media.
ReplyDeleteyeah. MARAMING NASA MEDIA NA FEELING MAGALING. porke't nasa magandang istasyon o napunta sa magandang kinalalagyan, akala nila magaling na sila. lahat kasi, gusto lang sumikat. poor media industry.
ReplyDeleteand a lot more are staying for all the wrong reasons as well. hindi porke't napunta ka sa magandang istasyon, e magaling ka na. dahil hindi naman lahat ng nabibigyan ng break, deserving. lalo na kung lumalaki ang ulo at nagyayabang. i hope people realize that.
ReplyDeletedi naman siguro lahat ng journalists tatalon pag sinabing tatalon. most of us are very discerning naman. as of whether or not may storya sa ASG, baka si Ces lang makakasagot nun. i agree that media shouldn't act like its above everybody else. after all, we are ordinary employees too. ang problema when media start acting like that and break rules of etiquette and even simple traffic laws. its up to journalists themselves to try to preach change to their fellow journalists. it would also help if the public made known their opinions on abusive journalists.
ReplyDeletenaku agree ako dito. i think thats the problem of the medium. My apologies to my main man RG, but I think the power of TV as a messenger is so overpowering, it can make the mediocre looks so good. for as long as the mic and the camera are on you, you are cool. and thats why more is demanded of TV reporters. and thats why i know a lot of them work their asses off. others do good, some go at it the wrong way. correct me if im wrong ha, im just on the outside looking in.
ReplyDeletesa newspapers, hubad na hubad ka sa mga editors hehehe
tsaka di naman lahat. i know a lot of journalists who stay because of a strong conviction that they want to make a difference for their fellow countrymen and make this country better. this may sound lofty and contrived, but i think this should be the true essence of why we stay. others go, thats their choice and decision. i would not have very much respect for a journalist who stays just because he or she wants to be famous, powerful or rich.
Amen. But yes, some do stay because of those three reasons.
ReplyDeleteno apologies needed dude. alam mo, its good some people tell others off. others would simply just not bother. and yes, that is one of the quirks with the television medium---making it all the more imperative to tell people off. every day is a constant test/discernment of why youre really here. others would not even so much as go for mere money, fame or power. there are many who get into this just for the sake of having a job. thats where problems begin because this isnt a mere job. the immensity of the effects of what we do, and more importantly, the lengths we all have to go through to get the news out there, makes this not just a job. if youre in here---you gotta sincerely believe in change you can believe in, and you can implement. (putcha im beginning to sound like barack obama---eh maka hillary pa naman ako!)
ReplyDeletelets all have coffe some time. there are things i cant say here for obvious reasons. hahahaha.
honga, and that is really the sad part. isn't weird that people want to be rich in this job? eh wala naman talagang pera dito. kayod kabayo ka pa. haha not unless magiging corrupt ka. in which case, lost cause na talaga sila kung ganun.
ReplyDeleteakala kasi ng marami mga doe eyed people jan, maraming pera. me mga nag-iisip kasi na fame=glory=power=money. eh madalas hinde ganun. there are only a handful of journalists who made their lotsa lotsa money legally....and mostly---after devoting their lives to the craft. kokonti lang ang asa millionaires club.
ReplyDeletepero me mga kilala rin naman akong rich kids na talagang sincerely wanna change things, kesyo ang drama nila is their status in life has made them thankful and just wanna go out change things for everyone else. superman complex. i guess we have to have a little of that in each of us to actually wanna stay here.
you're on. my treat. sama natin si thea-luv. pero kkb na lang sya kasi mayaman na yan hahaha
ReplyDeletewoah!! andami nang nangyari sa blog ko and i had no idea!!! hahahaha :)
ReplyDeleteyes, and this member of the public poses this question to the media: at the end of the day, what story does the public need, really? is it the kind worth dying for? it's when media stubbornly oversteps its bounds, i believe, that rascals like trillanes become heroes and abu sayyafs get additional funding through the payment of ransoms. well-meaning as it may be, couldn't the media be feeding the public just a little too much information, that when things get horribly awry, as in the penn standoff, or in this kidnap of ces and her crew (it's hilarious--ransom payment is euphemistically termed as fee for "board and lodging"), truth is compromised and media is consequently forced to feed the public myths.
ReplyDelete*the opinion expressed above is solely the poster's own and nobody else's. it does not necessarily reflect that of her husband's nor should it be interpreted to be anything else than what it is--i.e, purely a statement of opinion. heehee.
this has always been subject for debates..and nobody ever got to win. hehe :) seriously, i think depende sa ending..so end must really justify the means. nalilito na rin ako kasi every side has a point. haha :)
ReplyDelete