Raulito Suyom Sr., father of kidnap victim architect Raulito
Jr., said Tuesday his son and business
partners Jayson Cababayao, Francis Wong Sepulvida and Rho Steven Bochurno were
freed by their captors “somewhere in Maguindanao” last April 28.
He said the release, which was initially kept under wraps
due to security reasons, came following a series of negotiations with the
kidnappers that eventually led to the ransom payment.
“I will not deny that ransom was paid for their release. But
it was just a minimal amount,” he said in an interview over dxES Bombo Radyo.
Suyom said the four victims were released at around 4 a.m. on April 28 and were abandoned at a
portion of the Cotabato-Isulan highway.
He said they then boarded a van bound for this city and were
reunited with their families several hours later.
“They were mainly in great shape and appeared to have been
treated well during their ordeal,” he said.
The four, who were partners of a newly-formed construction
business, were on their way to meet a prospective client in Cotabato City
The victims were last seen leaving the city aboard a
Mitsubishi Strada pickup, which was found abandoned several days later.
Victim Jayson Cababayao, whose family owns the J Trade
Concrete Products and Construction Supply here, told reporters that a supposed
wealthy businessman initially established contact with their partner architect
Raulito Jr. in early March to seek assistance regarding a resort development
project near Cotabato
City
He said the investor signified to commission Raulito Jr. and
their firm for the development of the design and the construction of the
project.
They later agreed to a meeting in Cotabato City
Cababayao said they left the city aboard his pickup at
around 8 a.m. last March 29 along with
a woman who was supposed to serve as their guide.
Upon reaching a portion of Dalican in Datu Odin Sinsuat,
Maguindanao, he said they were met by a motorcycle-riding man who will
reportedly guide them to the investor’s farm.
They followed the supposed guide to an unfamiliar area where
they were met by a group of armed men who then declared the kidnapping, he
said.
Cababayao said they were tied up and kept in the area for
several days and later transferred to another location.
“They took all our belongings — our vehicle, laptops,
cellphones and other valuables. They even asked for the passwords of our
Facebook accounts,” he said
He said the suspects later told them that they would contact
our parents for the ransom negotiations.
“They were updating us about the negotiations from time to
time but always claimed that they were getting nowhere. So we were really
surprised when they decided to release us last April 28,” he said.
Before they were abandoned along the national highway, he
said the suspects gave P1,100 in cash for their passenger van fare to this
city.
Suyom credited the release of the victims to the efforts of
the Philippine National Police’s anti-kidnapping group and several “Muslim and
Christian leaders.”
“They were released due to the concerted efforts of various
parties and not just because of the ransom payment,” he said.
Chief Insp. Aldrin Martin Gonzales, public information
officer of the Police Regional Office 12, told MindaNews that the operations
are currently ongoing against the kidnappers.
But he declined to issue further details, noting the case is
being handled by the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (PRO-ARMM).
He said they are currently coordinating with the PRO-ARMM
for the investigation of the case and for other necessary operations.
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2015/05/05/kidnappers-free-4-businessmen-from-gensan-ransom-paid/
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