Release of Yusoph son seen anytime

MARAWI City , Philippines  – Negotiations for the release of Nuraldin Yusoph, son of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Elias Yusoph, are underway and there were speculations that the victim might be released soon.

The Lanao del Sur police force, however, launched five separate raids on suspected hideouts of the kidnappers over the past several days but failed to locate the victim.

The whole city was placed on heightened alert following a spate of killings in the last three days, which the authorities attributed to the political tension brought about by the kidnapping.

The neighboring Iligan City was also placed on heightened alert for possible spillover of the killings.

Text messages have been circulating since yesterday, reporting, among others, that the kidnappers of Yusoph were now asking for a huge ransom from his parents.

There was also information that the victim has been passed on to a lawless group that demanded ransom money in exchange for his release, but the amount was reduced to “board and lodging expense,” according to a source.

Lanao del Sur police director Senior Supt. Paniares Adap said the provincial council of elders, composed of senior Muslim religious, leaders were still negotiating the release of the victim.

Yusoph was snatched almost two weeks ago while leaving the Bato Alih Mosque in Barangay Sabala Amanao here.

The 22-year-old Yusoph was snatched by armed men demanding the annulment of the result of the May 10 local elections in Lanao del Sur’s politically-troubled Masiu, Pikong, Taraka and Ramain towns.

Highly-placed sources in the military’s intelligence community said that two Maranaw natives, Omar and Alexis, could be involved in the kidnapping.

“Our agents are still gathering more information in support to the efforts of the police to locate the whereabouts of the kidnappers and their captive,” said one of the sources.

Several Maranaw leaders have confirmed receiving text messages from anonymous sources claiming that Yusoph is in their custody and demanding ransom in exchange for his release.

“One group is asking for P10 million, another wants P20 million and so on and so forth,” said a Maranaw trader.

Adap, however, denied any knowledge of the text messages.

“We only rely on updates from our own operatives and from duly recognized leaders helping secure the release of the captive,” he said.

Adap said the governor of Lanao del Sur, Mamintal Adiong Jr., and his brother Ansarudin, who is the acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), have also been trying to work out the release of Yusoph through their emissaries. He earlier said that the kidnappers have not been treating Yusoph as a typical captive meant for ransom.

“As per information reaching us, he is allowed to move around freely. Of course he is restrained in one area, but he is not tied or being guarded by armed men,” Adap said.

As of press time, the Lanao del Sur Crisis Management Committee is still waiting for word from the negotiators composed of tribal leaders, the council of elders and other non-political peronalities to finalize the negotiations for release of the younger Yusoph. – With John Unson