SENATOR Richard Gordon, governor of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), has reiterated the organization’s no-negotiation and no-ransom payment policy.

At presstime, three Red Cross volunteers, two of whom are foreigners and one Filipino, continue to be held captive by a group suspected to have links with the Abu Sayyaf.

Gordon, speaking during the Kapihan sa Lennox of the Pangasinan Press and Radio Club on Thursday, said there had been no request for any ransom by the kidnappers and “neither are we going to give any ransom payment nor are we going to negotiate”.

“I can only appeal to the kidnappers to bring back the hostages as soon as possible,” said Gordon as he admitted he cannot make a hard statement against the perpetrators as the hostages are in harm’s way.

Gordon said he would like to have the three hostages released without any ransom paid and vowed that despite the crisis situation, PNRC will not abandon Sulu even if their foreign counterparts will withdraw.

“It would be a sad day in the Philippines if we do not get the hostages alive,” he said, adding that he knows the feeling of those being kidnapped although in a telephone call, they were saying that they were just alright.

In an obvious dig on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Gordon said no one has any business running the country where in several provinces there are kidnappings.–LM

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