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COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/24 September) – Family members of an Iranun kidnap victim resorted to kidnapping too after failing to locate their relative, police reports said.
According to the regional police office of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, armed men flagged down Wednesday an Isuzu Crosswind and a Toyota Revo coming from Cotabato City and bound for Marawi City in Bayanga Norte, Matanog, Maguindanao. The men reportedly abducted five Maranaos in retaliation for the kidnapping of an Iranun driver last Sept. 14.
The Maranao victims were identified as Marangit Abdulwahab Pandita, Musa Ebrahim Torongan, Kamar Sultan, Macasipot Zainal Kusain and Abdul Gaos Montia.
One of the kidnappers relayed to reporters that one of their relatives, Harris Daod, a resident of Matanog, was kidnapped by alleged Maranaos on Sept. 14 while driving some passengers to Marawi.
Daod’s captors allegedly demanded the return of a car that was confiscated by the Land Transportation Office and later a ransom money of P300,000.
The unidentified kidnapper of the Maranaos said Daod has nothing to do with his captors’ problem with the LTO because he is only a driver.
Daod’s relatives reportedly asked Maranao elders to help find him but they failed prompting some of them to stage the retaliatory act.
They demanded the immediate release of Daod and threatened to kidnap more Maranao who happen to pass the Matanog highway.
Police and Muslim leaders are now taking steps to avoid further conflict between Maranaos and Iranuns. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)
