COTABATO CITY -- Gunmen abducted a four-year-old son of a Filipino Chinese trader in this city around 4 p.m. Thursday, the police said.

Police identified the victim as John Kyle Dui "Butsiok" Chiongson, a resident of Don Jesus St., Barangay Poblacion 3, this city.

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Police authorities blamed a notorious kidnapping-for-ransom gang allegedly in league with local officials.

Cotabato City Police headed by Senior Superintendent Willie Dangane said they have identified the group responsible but refused to divulge the group’s identity to preempt ongoing operations.

Dangane said they arrested a suspect -- a former radio disc jockey immediately after the incident.

He said three other suspects, who are believed to be holding the boy in a village near Cotabato, are reportedly employees of a transport department in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

The victim was reportedly fetched by the family driver using a single motorcycle from a tutorial session when the suspects blocked their way outside the gate of the victim's house.

According to Cecelia Uy, the victim's grandmother, one of the suspects pointed a gun to her forehead.

"I kept on screaming for help, one of the suspects pointed a gun on me while my grandson was brought to the car," she said.

A black Kia sedan used as a getaway vehicle was found abandoned at a dumpsite in Biniluan Poblacion 9, this city. The suspects reportedly transferred to a boat en route to Kabuntalan, Maguindanao.

The victim's family said they have not been contacted by the kidnappers as of yet.

The family members are much concern on the present health of Butsiok, who is suffering from asthma and fever.

Cotabato Mayor Muslimin Sema expressed disgust over reports that some government officials are involved in kidnapping activities.

Chilling effect

Cotabato City Grocers president Oscar Tan Abing said the series of kidnapping in Cotabato City bears a chilling effect.

"The Chinese-Filipino business community here is so alarmed over these incidents. There is an atmosphere of panic, wala na silang pinipili kahit small time na negosyante, basta kung sino ang mauunang makuha at pinakamadali," Abing said.

Abing admitted that several businessmen already flew to other cities to avoid being the kidnappers' prey.

"Our city is moving backward with these scenarios. We urge the authorities to give weight on tracking of these people behind kidnapping. The problem is after kidnapped victims are released they never follow-up the cases," he said.

Abing also urged barangay officials to help in solving the kidnapping incidents.

The kidnapping of Butsiok is the sixth incident reported this year in Central Mindanao.

Doctors in Cotabato also fear for their lives since they are now a favorite target of the kidnappers.

Election-related

Sema said the series of ransom kidnappings in Mindanao could be linked to next year's national elections as candidates may be looking for ways to fund their campaigns.

Kidnappings and bank robberies usually rise ahead of the elections.

Wealthy traders of Chinese descent and their families are often targets of kidnappings.

A 70-year-old sister of a Chinese-Filipino hotel owner in the city was released from seven days of captivity earlier this month after her family paid a ransom. Her brother and his 10-year-old daughter were also held in February for four days.

Last month, government troops and Moro rebels worked together in a brief, rare alliance to force the kidnappers to abandon a Chinese tourist held for five days.

The Abu Sayyaf, a smaller but more violent al-Qaeda-linked group, has also carried out kidnappings in the southern Philippines and has been holding an Italian Red Cross worker since January. (FC of Sun.Star Davao/AP/Sunnex)