The Abduction of Ces Drilon and the News Blackout that followed

Our Mass Media is suddenly sensitive. Easily, when the safety of one of its own is at stake, our mass media folds up and most would heed the calls for a news blackout. This is the case now when ABS-CBN news reporter and TV personality Ces Drilon was supposedly abducted by the notorious Abu Sayyaf. ABS-CBN requested other media outlets to suspend highlighting the big event apparently to assure the safety of Drilon. Inquirer did not run the news the next day nor did many other news organizations. It was only today that the event was on headlines (not yet at abs-cbnnews.com, though).

From the Inquirer website:
MANILA, Philippines—The biggest story on Monday did not come out the next day in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) or in any of its competitors.

But broadcasting giant ABS-CBN Tuesday maintained it had good reason to hold the story on the abduction of its senior correspondent Ces Drilon and her crew in Sulu by armed men said to be members of the Abu Sayyaf, and to ask other media outfits to do the same.

Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN corporate communications, said the network made a “gentle request” to other news agencies to “embargo” the story.

“The request was made primarily for the security and safety of Ces and her companions. At that time (Monday), we did not know what their situation was. We didn’t want to speculate on any information that would jeopardize their safety,” he said.

Osorio thanked the media outfits “who allowed the request to happen,” but said the network thought it was “okay” that others did not heed it.

“They got the stories from interviews with other sources. That’s OK. We are just sticking to our official statement on the matter,” he said.

He added that making such a request to other media agencies would not be a company policy and would be made “on a case-by-case basis.”

News blackout

ABS-CBN news and current affairs head Maria Ressa appealed for a news blackout on the reported kidnapping of Drilon and company so as not to jeopardize their safety.

“In deference to the safety of Ces Drilon and her crew, the Inquirer decided to hold the story for just one day,” said Inquirer newspaper editor in chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc.

Ressa phoned the Inquirer on Monday to appeal for a news blackout until 6 a.m. Tuesday while negotiations for the release of the ABS-CBN team were ongoing.

She told Magsanoc that reporting the abduction would pose a danger to the lives of Drilon, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama.

Ressa said the news blackout was important because the network was afraid that other extremist groups in the area might take advantage of the situation.

In response to Magsanoc’s reservations about the news blackout, Ressa said she had also appealed to other newspapers, ABS-CBN’s rival network GMA 7, the wire service agencies and the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines to observe a news blackout...

I too pray for the safety of Drilon and the others now with her, if indeed they were abducted (yesterday, many people do not believe there is an abduction specifically because of the limited news it garnered). But it is somehow ironic to note that in the recent past, even a small call for the mass media to curb their coverage would have started cries for press freedom and independence, even when national security is at stake.

It is noteworthy also to consider the reasons why ABS would call for a news black-out. Among their official reasons are to avoid jeopardizing the rescue efforts and/or to hamper other extremist groups from taking advantage of the situation, all for the safety of Drilon and others. ABS did not explain why Drilon will be more in danger if news of the kidnapping will be on headlines. One reader of my blog commented that news will hamper ABS' efforts to pay "ransom".

We all know that paying ransom to kidnappers only encourage more kidnappings in the future. But of course, we also know that most everyone will pay ransom when kidnapped. This is the truth that nobody wants exposed. Indeed, this could be the only reason why a news black-out is needed.

Apparently it is not only now that kidnappings of journalist and probably payment of ransom by their employers happened. Obviously in order to explain that it is not only them asking for news blackouts in such events, ABS-CBN made a list of past Abu kidnappings which many of us are unaware.

...Based on abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak’s research, there have been at least 20 journalists that the group has held captive since 2000. Most of them were foreign journalists, but the list includes reporters of the country’s top news agencies—leading television networks ABS-CBN and GMA-7, and the newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer, among others.

Date of Captivity	Victims	Length of Captivity
April 2000 (Basilan)	GMA-7 television reporter Susan Enriquez	A few days
May 2000 (Jolo)	10 Foreign journalists (7 German, 1 French, 1 Australian, and 1 Danish)	10 hours
July 2000 (Jolo)	German Andreas Lorenz of the magazine Der Spiegel (He was also kidnapped in May.)	25 days
July 2000 (Jolo)	French television reporter Maryse Burgot, and cameramen Jean-Jacques Le Garrec and sound technician Roland Madura	about 2 months
July 2000 (Jolo)	ABS-CBN television reporter Maan Macapagal and cameraman Val Cuenca	4 days
January 2002 (Zamboanga)	Philippine Daily Inquirer contributor and Net 25 television reporter Arlyn de la Cruz	over 3 months
September 2002 (Jolo)	GMA-7 television reporter Carlo Lorenzo and cameraman Gilbert Ordiales	6 days

It is now for everyone to see how powerful our mass media is, they can easily filter the information coming our way. They can easily make big even the littlest of issues or hide big news such as this. ABS-CBN obviously do not trust the quality of journalism in the country because they have short of admitted that coverage of the event will put Drilon and others in more danger. Why else would there be more danger for the victims except for when so called "journalists" try to outdo each other for a scoop of sensationalized news?

Another truth we can easily see now is how our so called journalist have turned a blind eye on the Abus. Kidnappings by the Abus of journalists are not highlighted by the mass media. Meanwhile, again and again they cry harrasment by the government and/or the military when there are dead journalists or when some of their ranks felt threatened. Obviously, they know that the government will not touch them. There may be dead journalist but surely they know that government is mostly not to blame (although still government should be blamed for the lawlessness in our society). Meanwhile, they know that the Abus are a serious lot and are not to be cried to.