Govt forces hunt down abductors of Indian trader in Cotabato City

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 29): Govt forces hunt down abductors of Indian trader in Cotabato City

Police and Marine elements have launched a city-wide manhunt against four armed men who seized an Indian trader here, police said.

Senior Supt. Rolen Balquino, city police chief, said the suspects grabbed Mike Khemani, owner of Sugni Superstore, in front of his business establishment along Bonifacio Street, Cotabato City at 6:15 p.m.

Aniceto Rasalan, speaking for the Cotabato City government, said two security guards of Khemani traded shots with the suspects.

Kaura Abdul, 26, one of the trader's security escorts, was killed while another, Mustapha Abdulrahim, was wounded.

Balquin said three to five armed men on board a black Hyundai car without license plate was seen parked in front of the victim’s store along Bonifacio Street.

Report said Khemani was doing a regular tour inside and outside his department store when he was grabbed by two of the suspects and forced him into a waiting car.

Quoting witnesses, Rasalan said the victim and the suspects were last seen transferring to a motorboat along Rio Grande de Mindanao and sped upstream toward Kabuntalan, Maguindanao.

Khemani, who also owns department stores in Kabacan, North Cotabato and in Kidapawan City, escaped kidnapping twice in 2007 and 2009.

Pursuing policemen found the getaway Hyundai car (MCW-692) abandoned beside the Rio Grande de Mindanao in Barangay Poblacion 1.

The Army's 6th Infantry Division, using its night-capable watercraft joined the manhunt along the Rio Grande de Mindanao.

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