I am glad Ces Drilon and company have been freed

Posted on June 18, 2008
Filed Under Celebration, Friends, LIFE, Parenting and Family, Peace amd Governance | Viewed 636 times

I am glad Ces Drilon and company have been freed. It is being announced now on television. For the past few days, I have been discussing with my kids how particularly Ces’ children would have felt, seeing the developments on television. Two days before the news broke out, one of Ces’ sons, who was one of my sons’ classmates in the Ateneo High School has texted his friends requesting prayers for his mom, and please not to spread the news first, for his mother’s sake.

And the prayer brigade has included the moms, families and friends. I even thought Ces’ son was brave—he would still go to school. Vince met him just a few hours before the first deadline. He seemed to be okay, but the tension and trauma showed on his face. He was brave to say that the government and ABS CBN were doing something to free his mom. He has not lost hope, at least he had something to cling on to. Now that his mom is free—I am sure he and his 3 other brothers would very much appreciate their mother, be ever thankful that she has been released, and love her even more.

I woke up Vince to break to him the good news, and he was relieved for his classmate. Earlier, he and my other kids felt very sorry for Ces’ 4 sons.

Kudos to the negotiators, to all who had a hand on her way to safety, and to all who prayed for her and her family! And welcome back home, Ces (and company).

My kids were even thankful that finally, almost 2 years ago, I took early retirement. I didn’t realize that everytime I left for a country that was for them “not safe” and in which they would see terrorism-related news on CNN and BBC, like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the kids, especially Monica, would feel tense, and worried for me. They would always be happy to receive my text messages or phone calls in between, assuring them of my safety.

There was one time I was in Pakistan when a bomb blast happened in the airport where I have just been to a few minutes before the blast, or in Bangladesh when a bomb blew off in the city where I was, or where a “hartal” (a wide spread strike) left me stranded in the hotel for 3 days. There was also the town I went to in Sri Lanka which was completely washed away by the great tsunami and another town which can be accessed only after a lot of security clearances and wearing bullet proof vests, or just stories of air packets or difficutl flights that I had to take. I would share with them these stories and photos only after my trips, but they left bad memories, which they thought could happen again in the next trip. At least after 15 years, these trips are over now, my kids are really just happy I am finally home, they are ever thankful that we are together, and I feel their love even more.

Comments

10 Responses to “I am glad Ces Drilon and company have been freed”

amomandmore on June 18th, 2008 3:17 am

I am glad as well. Am sure that her experience would foster closer relations between her and her sons. News about Ces’ should have served as a reminder to all to savor times with our loved ones because we are never certain of what may happen in a moment’s time.
lady cess on June 18th, 2008 5:28 am

i was also wondering and praying for their families – must have been so heartbreaking. this is great news indeed. salamat sa Diyos.
noemi on June 18th, 2008 7:50 am

I can just imagine Ces’s and family’s trauma. I hope they heal in time.
Rach (Heart of Rachel) on June 18th, 2008 9:22 am

That’s great news. I’m glad that they were finally freed. I hope they can overcome the trauma brought about by this incident.
Chinny on June 18th, 2008 1:22 pm

This good news would bring the family together and closer. We hope that this would also teach a lesson to Ces and company.
cielo on June 19th, 2008 1:13 am

i am also praying for his safety and release before, since i can feel the pain in his children.

This is really a happy news indeed
raqgold on June 19th, 2008 2:39 am

i was in inq.net almost the whole time monitoring the updates and am glad to know they are ok. i am sure it is not easy for the family, tayo na nga na hindi nila ka-ano ano e kinakabahan para sa kanilang mga biktima. papano pa kaya ang mga mahal nila sa buhay?
Jayme on June 19th, 2008 2:59 am

I admired Ces for admitting how she made the mistake of risking her life for the sake of a story and apologizing for it openly. She seems like a strong woman and I’m sure she’s even stronger now after surpassing this ordeal.
annamanila on June 21st, 2008 5:53 pm

You, Dine, were the one who first told me the happy news of Ces Drilon’s release.

We prayed for her and her companions.

Hope what happened would also teach media men a cautionary lesson. Hindi sila sasantuhin ng mga demonyo—kahit Ces Drilon, Loren Legarda or Korina Sanches pa sila.

How bravely but unwisely they go afer news—ayan tuloy sila ang naging news.

Alam mo, may pagka-ganyan din ako. Fatalistic. when I have a choice which place to be assigned to do research and interviews—I wanted the more exotic places. yun bang roads less taken kung baga. Thus have I gone to Jolo, Lanao, Ozamis, the Cordilleras, Albay. Di ako kinakabahan kahit may checkpoints. eh kasi hindi ako masyado nagiisip. And yun nga, feeling ko if something is meant to happen, it will happen no matter what.
Rowena on June 27th, 2008 10:27 am

I’m glad it’s all over. Our family is also praying for them during the ordeal. I heard about her kidnapping while we’re having lunch here at home with BIL. His phone kept on ringing, Inquirer and GMA 7 are calling him, verifying the report. A good friend, Lady Ann was tasked to negotiate in behalf of Ces’ family. When they were released, Lady Ann told me the whole happenings. Oh boy, the suspense, the negotiation, proof of life, etc, parang movie. Ransom was indeed paid, it’s P20M.