Kidnapped Manila businessman found dead in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY – The Manila-based businessman kidnapped by an armed group in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao was found dead late Friday, authorities said.

Chief Inspectir Lindsay Sinsuat, Datu Odin police chief, said the body of Dominador Berdin was recovered on a creek in Barangay (village)  Kalanganan II here, which borders the city and Datu Odin Sinsuat, around 3 p.m.

“Some village children were playing near the Kinagatan Creek and saw the victim’s body floating on the water,” Sinsuat said.

The police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) found out that Berdin’s body had two bullet wounds –- one in the leg portion and another on the abdomen.

Sinsuat said the two suspects who were arrested confirmed that the body found in the river was that of the same man they abducted on Thursday from a resort in Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Berdin, reportedly a gold trader from Mandaluyong, was to meet a contact at the resort when kidnapped.

The armed men dragged him onto a mini-cargo truck. Two of the men — later identified as Norodin Andil and Ryan Usman Diwang — were left behind and were subsequently arrested.

“The description given by the arrested suspects of the man they kidnapped matched that of the victim found on the creek,” Sinsuat said.

Asked what could be the reason the kidnappers killed the victim, Sinsuat said subsequent police and military operations might have restricted their movements.

“We have received reports that they were trapped and could not get out of Cotabato City because of the tight security that’s why they executed their captive,” he said.

Jeoffrey Maitem, Inquirer Mindanao