Monday, July 14, 2008

Ces Drilon Kidnapping Drama

The Ces Orena-Drilon kidnapping case have been the talk about for the many last month; well in fact until now it is. News broke out that Drilon, an award-winning broadcaster for ABS-CBN, and her group, were seized by the Abu Sayyaf at the village of Kulasi in the town of Maimbung on June 10. Drilon’s team arrived in Sulu province on June 7 to pursue a story after an Abu Sayyaf leader reportedly sent surrender feelers.

Last night I have watched the special show of ABS-CBN entitled "Kidnap" and it's about the revelation of what Drilon, and cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama experienced under their alleged Abu Sayyaf kidnappers. During the show there were feeds, re-enactment and actual footage, as the three victims relate their stories. After knowing all these things, their claims, questions and doubt started to evolve in my mind. I started thinking that the kidnapping could be real but it could also be hoax. It could be a case well-staged by some non-professional actors. I arrived here in the office early and asked the opinion of my colleagues regarding the kidnapping of Drilon and most of them are doubting it. One even said that what happened could be just for a documentary purposes by ABS-CBN because their rival network, GMA-7, have a lot of award-winning documentaries. He got a point there though.

I listened closely to what the three were sharing last night. I observed the feed of actual footage. Well, they could be genuine but still questions are lurking in my mind about the credibility of their claims. They've said that the kidnappers are very smart but how could they (bandits) let the camera and film walk away? Holdappers, kidnappers or criminals wouldn't definitely want leaving evidences for their deeds; how much more for a possible video?

I cannot recall now if it was Encarnacion or Valderama who claimed that he had asked for the camera, from the abductors, so that he can refresh the device and the film for it might get moist. Will you still think of cleaning your camera if the time is ticking for you to be beheaded? If you are one of the kidnappers will you give that camera? Weren't you be smart enough to think that the cameraman could manipulate his own toy and may deceive you? If the drama is real then they are just a group of dumb kidnappers I ever heard of. Beats me.

The kidnapping drama may be real but there are still people who may think that everything was staged. We, definitely, have different point-of-views of what's happening in our country today.

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