Image KIDNAPPING journalists in the Philippines is still rare event.

But it always happened in Sulu where peace and order deteriorated immensely in the past years no thanks to the Armed Forces of the Philippines which maintained a pretty sizable force on the island, a little bigger than Camiguin Island.

Ask any journalist who covered the dirty war in Sulu and they will tell you it is always their primary consideration in the planning of their coverage.

The kidnapping of well-known broadcast journalist Ces Drilon, her TV crew and Prof. Octavio Dinampo of the Mindanao State University drove home the dangers of covering Sulu.

At least 10 journalists have so far been kidnapped in Sulu ever since the Abu Sayyaf militants brought the Sipadan hostages into the island in 2000.

There was the German newspaper Der Spiegel reporter Andreas Lorenz, the three French journalists from France 2 television network, GMA 7 reporter Carlo Lorenzo and journalist Arlyn de la Cruz.

This is also the second time journalists from ABS-CBN were kidnapped in Sulu. In 2000, reporter Maan Macapagal and her cameraman, Val Cuenca, were also kidnapped.

Most of them were freed but only after their media outfits (although no one will admit to this) paid millions of pesos or dollars to the rebels.

Lorenz’s Der Spiegel reportedly paid US$25,000 for his freedom; and GMA7 paid P5 million to get Lorenzo out.

The veteran journalists covering Sulu have a saying “nobody gets out from being kidnapped in Sulu without paying a ransom. You have to pay.”

It is a harsh reality among journalists covering Sulu.

I should know. I covered the island from 2000 to 2004. I was there when most of these journalists were kidnapped. And I even made friends with some of them before they were kidnapped.

It is sad to note that most of those who were kidnapped were very new to the coverage in the island. Most of those who got kidnapped went for the greatest story: interview the Abu Sayyaf. (Ces Drilon is a veteran of the Sulu coverage.)

There are a few things journalists should consider to lower the risk of being kidnapped in Sulu and elsewhere. After all being taken hostage is a frightening experience.

There are five reasons why hostages are taken: the kidnappers see you as a political commodity, economic reasons, revenge, an insurance policy and mistaken identity.

When kidnappers see you as political commodity, your abduction attracts widespread publicity to their cause. Kidnappers may demand the release of prisoners associated with their cause.

As an economic commodity, kidnappers believe they can get large sums of money from your media outlets to secure your safe release.

These are the major reasons why journalists are always kidnapped in Sulu.

Any good journalist must reduce the danger of being kidnapped by assessing the risks. Here are a few tips offered by the International Federation of Journalist in their book “survival guide for Journalists.”

Kidnapping always follows a pattern. Is hostage taking practiced in the area where you are working on? Is there a history of journalists being kidnapped?

You can check with fellow journalists and residents–those who have been there longer than you.

Kidnappers always need a period of reconnaissance, during which they study the pattern of movements you made. They will study your hotel and your movements.

The more predictably you behaved, the easier they can abduct you.

Always change your routine every day. Travel at different times and change your hotels frequently if available.

In Sulu, we travel in convoys of vehicles escorted by armed policemen who get paid by us. We all chipped in for the money spent for our armed escorts.

The drive to scoop and having an exclusive story is not being practiced by us. We have one goal every day: to survive.

In the end, it should be up to the journalist if he or she would go on a dangerous assignment. News outlets should give their journalists the right to decide. He or she should not be discriminated.

The International News Safety Institute (INSI), a global coalition of news organizations working for the protection of journalists worldwide and which promotes the adoption of a culture of safety among journalists, media staff and news organizations, has set up a Global Hostage Crisis Help Center to address the growing incidence of journalist abductions around the world.  The Center is offered as an initial point of contact and free advice for news organizations and individual journalists confronted for the first time by a staff member or colleague being kidnapped and held hostage. (For more information please log on to www.newssafety.com

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), an international media watchdog said media owners must ensure that adequate preparations and safety measures are provided for all journalists and media workers who report from especially dangerous regions in the Philippines. (Froilan
Gallardo)

Froilan Gallardo is the Editor of SunStar Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao where this column, Light Stalker, was first published.  The International News Safety Institute (INSI) and the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD) are reprinting the column with his permission.  Mr. Gallardo is also a certified INSI safety trainer and is qualified to provide advice to journalists on safety and hostile environment issues.