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Froilan Gallardo: Dirty politics behind Yusoph kidnapping
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY It was all about the huge amount of
bribemoney that corrupted election officials who issued orders to
clusterpolling precincts to favored politicians during the last
elections in
May, military officers and poll watchdog groups said.
The officers and NGO leaders said that this was the reason
whyNuraldin Yusoph, the 22-year-old son of poll Commissioner
EliasYusoph, was kidnapped in Marawi City.
Politicians who lost a lot of money want to recoup their losses.
Thatis the reason why Nuraldin was kidnapped, said Brig. Gen.
RayArdo, chief of the Armys 103rd Infantry Brigade. They want to
berefunded, he added.
At the center of the controversy that hounded the kidnapping
of
Nuraldin is his father Elias, the only Muslim commissioner in
theCommission on Elections.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in its luwaran.com
website,said that the kidnapping was a collective effort of all
losers in theelection to force him [Commissioner Yusoph] to refund
the bribesgiven him during the elections as it accused the election
official of[taking] money from all sides.
There was no immediate comment from the elder Yusoph and
hisfamily about the accusation.
Sources provided Mindanews with a copy of a Comelec order
datedon May 9, 2010 ordering the clustering of polling precincts
from 19to 55 in Marawi City.
The order was signed by Comelec Chair Jose Melo who
annotatedthat his signature was made upon recommendation
ofCommissioner Yusoph.
Commissioner Rene Sarmiento signed with reservation
whileCommissioner Nicodemo Ferrer did not sign at all.
Commissioners
Yusoph, Armando Velasco, Gregorio Larazabal, and Lucenito
Taglealso signed.
Ardo said the order benefited Marawi City Mayor Sultan Fre
Fahadwho went on to win the mayoralty election over former Mayor
AbbasBasman.
Did you notice that Commissioner Yusoph did not come to
Marawiduring the entire 29 days when Nuraldin was in the
kidnapperscustody? He was scared that all the losing politicians
will gang up onhim and demand a refund, Ardo said.
Ardo himself is no stranger to election cheating. In 2004, he
wasamong the military officers who were accused of rigging the
8/9/2019 Froilan Gallardo - Dirty Politics Behind Yusoph
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elections for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Last February 2009, Yusoph, a provincial prosecutor in Marawi
City,was appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to
theComelec to replace Commissioner Romeo Brawner who died.
Remember I did not give you a clear answer when you asked
meabout Yusoph after he was appointed. It is because I do not
trusthim at all, said Hadji Abdullah Dalidig, head of the
IslamicMovement for Electoral Reforms and Good Governance
(IMERGG).
He confirmed that bribes were paid to pay election officials in
thelast May 10 elections.
Dalidig, who chaired the National Citizens Movement for
FreeElections (NAMFREL) in Lanao del Sur, was the 2004
whistleblowerwho uncovered the dagdag-bawas electoral cheating that
allegedly
benefited former President Arroyo.
The young Yusoph was moved from one hideout to another beforehe
was released in Cagayan de Oro City late Monday afternoon,more than
a hundred kilometers from where he was abducted inMarawi City on
June 20.
This was the surprise ending of the 29-day hostage ordeal of
theyoung Yusoph who was snatched in in front of the Bato Ali
Mosquein Marawi City.
Wearing a dark blue jacket and white tshirt, Nuraldin appeared
to bedazed and at times covered his face from the glare
ofphotographers flashes and TV camera lights.
I was constantly threatened and blindfolded. I was always
movedaround from one place to another, the young Yusoph told
reportersbefore he was whisked to Manila this morning. He said he
wasthreatened to be killed at least nine times while in
captivity.
The 22-year-old Yusoph said he could not recall the places where
hisabductors had taken him during the 29-day captivity.
I only remembered the threats. I could not see anything, he
said.
The young Yusoph said his kidnappers at first fed him only once
aday. But his food intake was increased as the days went by.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong said the kidnappers
releasedNuraldin at Junction Ilaya, Macanhan and Masterson road
inBarangay Carmen, this city around 5:10 pm. Monday.
Adiong said the family of Yusoph did not pay any ransom for
thesafe release. Nuraldin was whisked to Manila this morning
and
brought to his father.
