‘Unsubstantiated but credible’

The problem may be in the phrase. When the United States Embassy in Manila issued a travel advisory to its citizens in the country warning about possible kidnapping activities by terrorist groups, it cited “unsubstantiated yet credible” information. When an information is unsubstantiated, can it be credible? And if the information is credible, does that take away the point that it is unsubstantiated?

But that is how vaguely diplomats phrase important concerns sometimes. Consider the ticklish issue when the US still had military bases in the country. When asked if those bases, or the ships docked there, kept nuclear weapons, the official answer always had the phrase “neither confirm nor deny.” If it is not confirmed and not denied, what is it?

The tone of the advisory, though, exposes its intention. It tells Americans in the country to lean on the word “credible” and not on “unsubstantiated.” It is “diplomatese” of the common admonition that it is better to be safe than sorry. So Americans here should be wary of sporting events, theaters, markets, mass transportation systems, including airlines, and other public venues where large crowds gather.”

For local authorities, however, the phrase “unsubstantiated and credible” should never be enough. Ideally, it is wrong to base their reactions to advisories about security threats in their turf on the mere say-so of a foreign government. More so if the same information is unsubstantiated. But we are not in an ideal setup. Far from it.

So now we have Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald dela Rosa virtually confirming to reporters, using shaky information, what was said in the US travel advisory. He said he was told by Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Noli Taliño that terrorist groups may attempt to kidnap civilians in Central Visayas. And yet Taliño may not have actually possessed the information dela Rosa claimed he had considering his initial reaction to the US travel advisory.

These travel advisories are no joke considering the country’s effort to promote tourism while at the same time shield the country from terrorist attacks. Perhaps it would be good if the country talks with the US so it would be given a clearer grasp of those travel advisories and objectively respond to them.