3 kidnap victims freed in Lanao

Iligan City — Three kidnap victims were released in a remote village in Lanao del Sur Friday night unharmed and without ransom payment except a cellphone card and a "token" of P10,000, according to the military.

Col. Ernesto Boac, commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade based in Marawi City, in his report to Maj. Gen. Alfonso Dagudag, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, identified the freed victims as Arlu Dia, 25, a physical therapy graduate, of Butuan City and his friend, Roger Alvar, 26, of Mangagoy, Bislig City.

Dia and Alvar were snatched near a mall in Cagayan de Oro City last Jan. 14, this year, and brought to Marantao, Lanao del Sur but the constant movement of the abductors brought them to Butig, in the same province until they were released.

The military said the kidnap for ransom group was headed by Mangarasi Amin Guro with his cohorts identified only as a certain Rebo Garwan, Bin Usman alias "Bin Laden," commander Pla and Jack Moro and their respective groups.

While in Butig, the military and local leaders found a 12-year-old girl, identified as Marivic Balibagon, who was kidnapped sometime in October last year in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City and brought to the said town to be "sold" as slave. She was rescued from her "masters" following the token payment of a P10,000, Boac said.

Visitacion Dia, a dentist, and mother of Arlu, said that her son and his friend were apparently victims of mistaken identity since the target of the kidnappers was "the son of a wealthy fish broker." She added that the kidnappers only asked for one cellphone card worth P300.