ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 4, 2014) – Police recovered the bodies of eight local fishermen who were killed by pirates off Zamboanga Sibugay province in southern Philippines, officials said Saturday.
Officials said the bodies were recovered from a wooden boat that drifted near Sacol Island off Zamboanga City late Friday afternoon. They were among a group of Badjao fishermen who were attacked by gunmen on December 26.
Captain Jefferson Somera, a spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division, said two fishermen – Loloy Ampasali, 22, and Muksi Ampasali, 16 – survived the carnage and were brought to hospital in Zamboanga City.
Contrary to other media reports that the fishermen were beheaded by their attackers, officials said the bodies were intact, although they are already decomposing.
Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, a regional police spokesman, said identified the bodies as that of Mursid Ambasali, Jimmy Sannayani, Benjie Sannayani, Piyad Sannayani, Palaji Sannayani, Jeffrey Sannayani, Palari Buyong and Maastal Jaolani – all residents of Sitio Seaside in the coastal village of Sangali here.
No individual claimed responsibility for the killing of the fishermen, but Huesca said the attack was probably in retaliation to the killing of a pirate by fishermen engaged in dynamite fishing in the area.
“We have a report that one pirate extorting from fishermen died from accidental blast and this started it all, but our investigation still continues to determine who were really behind the killing of the fishermen,” Huesca told the regional newspaper.
The Badjao is among the peaceful tribes in southern Philippines and mostly engaged in fishing and mat weaving as their source of livelihood. They live mostly in boats off Zamboanga. (With a report from E. Dumabo)
20