Doubts on the Rescue of the ICRC Hostages

[chuck_scofield]

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http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=459358&publicationSubCatego ryId=63

Speculations, theories and assumptions. The rescue of Swiss National Andreas Notter has once again raise doubts on the ability of the govt. to stand by its principle of no-ransom policy whenever it deals with renegade soldiers and kidnappers like the Abu Sayyaf Group.

Majority of those who watched the saga of these 3 ICRC kidnap victims are convinced that the govt. paid the ASG ransom for the release of Mary Jean Lacaba and Andreas Notter. Meanwhile, the govt. insists that they were able to obtain Notter and Lacaba through proper negotiations and military pressure.

What is important for me is not the manner by which the hostages were secured, what is of paramount importance is that the govt. was able to secure them from the ASG and they can now go back to their respective families and resume their normal lives. What is essential is that the govt. acted on the problem from the moment it occurred and did not stand idle on it. Their unrelentless military pressure was a key point in dealing with the hostage crisis. The role played by the govt. can't be mistaken.

[vergievergz]

gov't played a role, no doubt..and i wud giv them a standing O..but saying that the manner is not important so long as the hostages were secured, i dnt quite agree...the safety of the hostage are of paramount importance and shud b no.1 priority, but paying ransom shud be excluded from the manner in attaining such..wat do u suppose they wil do with the ransom money(if ever there is)??as they are, they'd surely avail of new arms, which then they wil utilize for other kidnappings whatnot..mudako pod ang ulo ana nla, mao mgcge nlng pod na cla pangidnap..