Cops probing abduction of Maguindanao businessman’s son

Police in Maguindanao are investigating the abduction on Monday of a son of a local businessman as the boy’s family told police there has been no ransom demand yet.

Inspector Lendsy Sinsuat, Datu Odin town police chief, said the identities of the suspects have not been established either.

The victim, a 16-year-old boy, and his family were preparing to welcome the New Year late on Monday when two masked armed men barged into their house in Sitio (sub-village) Tenorio in Barangay (village) Awang around 8 p.m. and took the boy at gunpoint.

Sinsuat said the two suspects were later joined by at least 10 more armed men, also wearing masks.

Sinsuat said the boy’s father, whose identity the police are withholding, told investigators the suspects tied him up and other family members and ransacked their house, taking cash and other valuables.

The father was quoted by police as saying he had no known enemies who would take his son as an act of vengeance.

Sinsuat said police were treating the case as one of “plain abduction” since there has been no ransom demand yet.

He said the men who took the boy have not made contact with the victim’s family. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao