Military yet to confirm kidnapping of 5 Malaysian sailors

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 20): Military yet to confirm kidnapping of 5 Malaysian sailors

The military is confirming reports that Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits have kidnapped five Malaysian seafarers off Lahad Datu, Sabah last Monday.

"We are looking into this with keen interest and will seek to validate it at the soonest time and will release an official report once data has been provided," Western Mindanao Command Spokesperson Major Filemon Tan said.

The five Malaysian victims were reportedly kidnapped Monday night while on board a Tawau, Sabah-base tugboat T/B Serudong that was traveling from Sandakan to Semporna.

They were identified as Abdurahim Bin Summas, Tayudin Anjut, Mohammad Redzuah Bin Ismael, Mohammad Jumadil Bin Rahim and Fandy Bin Bakran.

Last June, four Malaysian sailors, earlier kidnapped in April, were released in Sulu after their families complied with the bandits' ransom demand.

The series of kidnapping against Malaysian and Indonesian seafarers prompted the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to explore the possibility of conducting trilateral air and maritime patrols in common areas of concerns by the three nations.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=905504