Push Admin

‘Not too bold’: Lacson recalls teaching Gokongwei how to talk to kidnappers

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday recounted his encounter with the late John Gokongwei Jr. when the business magnate&#x27;s daughter was kidnapped.</p><p>Lacson, who was in the Philippine Constabulary&#x27;s Metropolitan Command at the time, led the team that rescued Gokongwei&#x27;s daughter, Robina, from a kidnap-for-ransom gang in 1981.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Biggest denomination at that time was P100. Anyway, that was part of our negotiation technique - he shouldn’t project being too scared. Neither should he be arrogant and antagonistic. Robina and Celina, her cousin might be harmed to scare or spite John. Do I miss police work?</p>— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) <a href="https://twitter.com/iampinglacson/status/1193403091220959233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Following the business tycoon&#x27;s death late Saturday, Lacson, in a series of Twitter posts, recalled how he taught Gokongwei how to negotiate with Robina&#x27;s kidnappers.</p><p>“I instructed him not to sound intimidated while negotiating for Robina’s ransom snapped at her kidnappers, ‘10M? Do you know how long it’ll take me to count that much money? You can have my daughter!’” Lacson said in a tweet.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In 1981, I instructed him not to sound intimidated while negotiating for Robina’s ransom snapped at her kidnappers, “10M? Do you know how long it’ll take me to count that much money? You can have my daughter!” I said, not too bold either Mr John.<br/>Rest In Peace, John Gokongwei Jr.</p>— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) <a href="https://twitter.com/iampinglacson/status/1193321028245549056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“I said, not too bold either Mr. John,” he added.</p><p>In a reply to another tweet, Lacson explained he was teaching Gokongwei not to sound “arrogant” or “antagonistic” while talking with the kidnappers.</p><p>“That was part of our negotiation technique – he shouldn’t project being too scared. Neither should he be arrogant and antagonistic,” he said.</p><p>Lacson, in another Twitter post, added that Robina was rescued without any ransom being paid.</p><p>Gokongwei offered P400,000 as reward money, which Lacson declined.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">We rescued Robina just before the ransom payment, so no ransom was paid. Afterwards, John offered P400K as reward money which I politely declined. He officially donated 10 mobile cars to the PC Metrocom instead thru then Chief PC Fidel V. Ramos.</p>— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) <a href="https://twitter.com/iampinglacson/status/1193325681695809536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The businessman eventually donated 10 mobile cars to the Philippine Constabulary&#x27;s Metropolitan Command.</p><p>Gokongwei, whose eponymous conglomerate controls the country&#x27;s largest airline, died peacefully on Saturday at age 93.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/10/19/john-gokongwei-jr-passes-away-at-93">John Gokongwei Jr. passes away at 93</a></li></ul>

<p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday recounted his encounter with the late John Gokongwei Jr. at the time the business magnate's daughter was kidnapped.</p>

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday recounted his encounter with the late John Gokongwei Jr. at the time the business magnate's daughter was kidnapped.