ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine military on Monday said it is exchanging intelligence with neighboring Malaysia following the abductions of 3 fishermen by suspected Filipino gunmen in Sabah.
Seven gunmen abducted the trio in a daring cross-border raid into the rich Malaysian state just off the southern Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi on September 10.
The armed men on board two green speedboats intercepted the trawler near the island of Pompom off Semporna town and snatched its skipper and 2 other crew. Four other crew members were left unharmed and reported the incident to their employer.
The Western Mindanao Command, citing Malaysian intelligence report, said the 7 armed men in a two speed boats sped off towards northeast in the direction of Alice reef and Bulubulu Island of Tawi-Tawi. “Coordination and intelligence sharing and exchange with Eastern Sabah Security Command is now being done,” it said without further details.
The fishing company immediately reported the abduction to the police before dawn the next day. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the latest abduction, but Sabah authorities said the gunmen fled towards Tawi-Tawi, one of 5 provinces under the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines.
The incident happened just as the Philippine military continues its offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan provinces, also in the autonomous region.
It was not immediately known whether the militant group was involved in the abduction, but the Abu Sayyaf is still holding over a dozen hostages that included Malaysian and Indonesian tugboat crewmen, a Norwegian man, a Japanese and Filipinos. (Mindanao Examiner)
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