Mayor, 3 aides held for kidnap

COTABATO CITY — Police have held a North Cotabato mayor and his three security escorts for allegedly abducting last Friday the mother of a woman who had charged him with three counts of rape.

Local Catholic radio station dxMS, owned by the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corp., said policemen of Valencia, Bukidnon arrested Mayor Floro Allado of the hinterland town of Banisilan, and his aides — PO1 Marias Kitub, Cpl. Rudy Balonquindos and Pfc. Dominador Narito — after they were tipped off that the mayor’s group had snatched Mina Bejoc.

Police believe that Allado seized Bejoc to force her and her daughter, who is now reportedly in hiding, to agree to an amicable settlement.

Police said they would press kidnapping charges against Allado and his security men. — John Unson