EDITORIAL - Telegraphing every move

If the government can’t tell Sen. Richard Gordon to shut up on the kidnapping of Red Cross volunteers, it should just designate him as the one and only official spokesman for the hostage incident. That designation should come with the requirement that he cannot leak to the press details of the negotiations or rescue operations, even in his weak moments when he feels his life — or his political survival — depends on opening his mouth.

One cardinal rule in effective hostage negotiation is for those working on behalf of the victims to designate one negotiator and one spokesman. In the case of the three volunteers of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who have been held captive in Sulu for over two months, their Abu Sayyaf kidnappers are relaying messages through Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan and Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidullah, who are both happily disclosing every detail to the public, including threats to behead the hostages if the kidnappers’ demands are not met. The spokesmen for the different branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are also yammering away, though who can blame them when a senator who happens to head the Philippine National Red Cross is trying to take on the role of military commander?

Everyone on the government side in this hostage incident seems to be afflicted with a Pavlovian urge to open his mouth when a tape recorder, microphone or TV camera is shoved into his face. Every government move is telegraphed to the kidnappers, which has to be one of the reasons why kidnapping for ransom is a booming cottage industry in Sulu and neighboring provinces.

With everyone jumping into the act and wanting to be the star of the show, this hostage incident is likely to drag on for several months, even as authorities try to rescue teachers kidnapped in neighboring Basilan. When this sorry incident is finally resolved, someone should write a book on how not to conduct hostage negotiations. And it should be a must-read for public officials.