Dureza: Talks ongoing for Yusoph son’s release

Negotiations are currently in the works for the release of the son of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Elias Yusoph, a member of the crisis management team tasked to resolve the abduction case said Saturday. Mindanao Development Authority chairperson Jesus Dureza said he has already met with the principal suspect in the abduction of Nuralden Yusoph, and that his team is currently negotiating the release of the poll official’s son. Dureza did not name the kidnapping suspect. “There is an ongoing negotiation, but the stand of the government is a no-ransom policy," he told local reporters on Saturday. The younger Yusoph was abducted last Sunday by unidentified men while he was praying inside a mosque in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. (See: Poll official's son abducted by men seeking to nullify votes) The kidnappers reportedly wanted the Comelec to nullify votes in four towns in Lanao del Sur, in the June 3 special elections held in seven municipalities of the province. Dureza likewise said that he has met some officials from the province as well as from the military to ask for help in locating the kidnap victim, since initial intelligence reports revealed that the younger Yusoph is being held within Lanao del Sur. Commissioner Yusoph will not be involved in the negotiations and will let the crisis management team deal with the incident, he added. The Comelec has earlier said that it is not open to negotiations with the kidnappers, and that the poll body will not give in to any of their requests.—Ric Clet/ACC/JV, GMANews.TV