Men posing as cops seize trader; 1 dead

COTABATO CITY – An Indian businessman, who twice escaped kidnapping in 2007 and 2009, was seized by a group of still unidentified armed men on Tuesday, authorities said.

Senior Superintendent Rolen Balquin, city police chief, said Mike Khemani – owner of the Sugni department store chain in Central Mindanao – was inspecting his branch here past 6 p.m. when snatched by two of five men, who arrived on a black car with license plate MCW 692.

Aniceto Rasalan, speaking for the city government, said escorts of the 60-year-old businessman put up a fight but one of them was killed in the gunfight with the kidnappers, some of whom were armed with assault rifles.

Balquin identified the slain Khemani security escort as Kaura Abdul.

Another escort of the businessman, identified as Mustapha Abdulrahim, suffered injuries and was rushed to a hospital, he said.

The suspects fled to the Maguindanao side of the Rio Grande de Mindanao on a motorboat.

Balquin said a police team later recovered the black car used in the kidnapping. Edwin Fernandez with reports from Jeoffrey Maitem and Williamor Magbanua, Inquirer Mindanao