EDITORIAL - Rescue or ransom?

Here we go again. Rumors are rife in Basilan that negotiations are ongoing to buy the freedom of the Abu Sayyaf’s three remaining hostages for up to P50 million. Amid the rumors, the governor of Basilan had to make a public appeal the other day to stop the negotiations, emphasizing – as various quarters have emphasized over and over – that ransom payments merely encouraged more kidnappings.

Why should rumors be regarded as fact? Because last year reports of money changing hands also started with rumors. When the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf faction headed by Ghalib "Commander Robot" Andang started releasing some of the foreign hostages kidnapped from the Malaysian island resort of Sipadan, Jolo mysteriously became awash with greenbacks, so much so that the dollar was trading much lower on the island than in the rest of the country. The truth eventually came out: Andang and his cohorts earned a whopping $20 million from the Sipadan caper.

No wonder the main Abu Sayyaf group based in Basilan staged its own kidnapping this year. And just like in the previous caper, there were rumors of ransom payoffs as hostages taken from the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan mysteriously escaped or were freed.

The thugs in Mindanao learned years ago that kidnapping pays. Call it ransom, call it board and lodging fee – money was paid in exchange for the freedom of hostages. That’s a powerful incentive for more kidnappings in an area that’s one of the poorest in the country. Most galling of all is the suspicion that the government is encouraging the ransom payments. Last year Libya and Malaysia shouldered much of the ransom payments. Could the money have changed hands without the Philippine government’s nod?

When an administration is besieged with scandals galore on top of other national problems, it can be tempted to opt for quick fixes in dealing with a high-profile crime. This time the Abu Sayyaf is still holding on to two Americans – one reason Washington has refused to lift its travel advisory on the Philippines. Military officials have promised to rescue the two Americans and a Filipina nurse by Christmas. If this turns out to be a fake rescue worth P50 million, you can be sure we’ll have another major kidnapping next year.