DATU PIANG, Maguindanao del Sur — Furious residents mobbed two alleged kidnapping suspects and vandalized their vehicle after they reportedly attempted to abduct a 63-year-old fisherman and “payong-payong” driver in Barangay Magaslong, Datu Piang on Thursday, May 28.
The suspects’ black Toyota Vios bearing plate number MBF 9576 was repeatedly kicked, stoned, and smashed by angry residents, shattering its windows and leaving the vehicle heavily damaged amid outrage from the community.
According to the initial police investigation, the victim, identified only by the alias “Dhats,” a resident of Barangay Magaslong, had temporarily stopped along the highway around 5:40 p.m. while driving his motorized tricycle after receiving a phone call from a former barangay councilman identified as Teng Kaliga.
Moments later, the Toyota Vios allegedly pulled up beside him. Two men reportedly got out of the vehicle and forcibly tried to drag him inside the car.
However, the elderly victim managed to fight back and escape before the suspects could fully force him into the vehicle. He immediately shouted for help from nearby residents while the suspects fled toward the municipality of Datu Salibo.
News of the alleged abduction attempt quickly spread across the community, triggering anger and panic among residents who immediately pursued the suspects.
As the suspects attempted to flee, enraged residents reportedly surrounded them and attacked their vehicle. Witnesses said residents hurled rocks at the car, kicked its doors, and smashed its windows in fury over the incident.
Some residents also accused the suspects of allegedly being involved in illegal kidney harvesting and organ trafficking operations targeting children and elderly individuals — allegations that have not yet been confirmed by authorities and remain under investigation.
Videos and reports from the scene showed residents swarming the suspects’ vehicle while police officers struggled to control the crowd and prevent the situation from escalating further. Even after the suspects were placed inside a police vehicle, several residents allegedly attempted to attack them.
Authorities from the Datu Piang Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Datu Salibo Municipal Police Station, immediately launched a hot pursuit operation that resulted in the arrest of the two suspects in the area of Cowboy, Datu Saudi Ampatuan.
Police identified the arrested individuals as Mark, 43, a self-employed resident of Barangay Christian Village, Aplaya, Digos City, Davao del Sur; and Juneson, 36, a lending collector from Barangay Bansarville 2, Salvador, Lanao del Norte.
The two men are now under police custody while authorities prepare the filing of appropriate criminal charges against them.
Investigators are still determining the suspects’ true motive and whether other individuals may have been involved in the alleged abduction attempt.
Police also appealed to the public to avoid taking the law into their own hands and urged residents to allow the justice system to handle the case properly.
Meanwhile, fear and tension continue to grip residents in Barangay Magaslong following the incident, especially amid long-standing rumors and public anxiety over alleged kidnapping and organ trafficking activities in parts of Mindanao.
For many residents, the incident was more than just an attempted crime — it was a terrifying reminder of the vulnerability of ordinary citizens against groups allegedly preying on helpless victims.