Terror raps eyed for Yusoph kidnappers

MANILA, Philippines - The kidnappers of the son of Commission on Elections (Comelec) official Elias Yusoph should be charged with violation of the anti-terrorism law for trying to coerce the government into nullifying election results in Lanao del Sur, Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor said.

Blancaflor, spokesman of the Anti-Terrorism Council, said the kidnappers of Nuralden Yusoph, 22, in Marawi last Sunday violated the Human Security Act enacted in July 2008. “As compared to ordinary kidnap-for-ransom, the demand of the kidnappers is to coerce the government into doing an illegal act,” Blancaflor said.

“To nullify the election results is a government action. It simply cannot be done,” he added.

But he stressed the police can only file Human Security Act cases after July 10 or 60 days after the May 10 elections as required by law. The provision was meant as safeguard against politically related litigations.

Initial reports said unidentified men kidnapped the younger Yusoph as he was leaving a mosque in Barangay Sabala Amanao in Marawi City.

The kidnappers reportedly wanted the results of the elections in four towns in Lanao del Sur voided. The Comelec has rejected the demand.

The National Bureau of Investigation, meanwhile, is looking into reports that some losing candidates in Lanao del Sur’s special elections were behind the kidnapping.

This developed as Lanao del Sur’s first district Rep. Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman asked the Comelec in a petition to proclaim him the winner in the last special elections.

Pangandaman’s legal counsel Ted Pastrana said it was “grossly unfair” for the Comelec to delay the proclamation of his client, who won by 3,401 votes over his closest rival Salic Dumarpa.

“If Dumarpa filed a petition before the Comelec to nullify the results of the elections, Hussein also has the right to file a petition for his proclamation as the winner,” Pastrana said.

With the identities of the suspect or the whereabouts of Yusoph still unclear, authorities have urged the Council of Elders in Lanao del Sur to step into the case.

Task Force Yusoph spokesman Senior Superintendent Panares Adap said that Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director Chief Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, together with the provincial crisis management committee chairman governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., have sought the help of the Council of Elders for the safe release of Yusoph.

Adap said they have leads regarding the whereabouts of the kidnappers and the victim but declined to divulge it at the moment so as not to jeopardize the investigation.

Madrigal Macadato, a brother-in-law of commissioner Yusoph, said the family has opted not to talk about the case or provide the media with a photo of the younger Yusoph for fear that other criminal groups might intervene and complicate matters.

Meanwhile, Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said there was no need for him or any of his colleagues to beef up their security despite the kidnapping.

“In fact, most of the people have no security details whatsoever,” Melo told Palace reporters.

“We are just doing our job and we know that this is part of the madness of some losing political factions,” he added.

Melo reiterated that the Comelec would not negotiate with the kidnappers.

“The son of commissioner Yu- soph is still detained by the kidnappers but on our part, we don’t want to speak too much about this because it’s already a police matter,” he said.

However, he said that based on the demands of the kidnappers, the motive appears to be political.

“We hope that there’ll be a peaceful solution to it. But on the part of the Comelec, there will be no negotiation with the kidnappers on their demands,” he said.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the kidnapping of Yusoph’s son was discussed during the Cabinet meeting last Tuesday and President Arroyo ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to immediately resolve the case.

“The victim here is the son of a very high-ranking Comelec official who is actually supervising the partial elections in Lanao province,” Mendoza said. – With Marvin Sy, John Unson, Lino de la Cruz, and Nestor Etolle