Gov’t forces locating kidnapped Malaysians

From Malaya Business Insight (Sep 13): Gov’t forces locating kidnapped Malaysians

GOVERNMENT forces have been deployed in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi to locate three Malaysian fishermen abducted from Malaysian waters last Saturday, a military official said yesterday.

The Abu Sayyaf is suspected to be behind the kidnapping, said Maj. Filemon Tan, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command based in Zamboanga City.

Malaysian officials on Sunday said the three crew members of a trawler were abducted last Saturday near a resort in Semporna by a group of seven “Filipino armed men” who headed to Tawi-Tawi after the incident with their victims.

They did not specifically point to the Abu Sayyaf which is blamed for the kidnapping of dozens of Indonesians and Malaysians in Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine waters over the past several months.

Tan, citing reports received from Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Security Command, Tan said the fishermen were seized at around 11 p.m. Saturday in the general area of PomPom island near Mataking Island Resort off Semporna.

Tan said the suspects used a boat, powered by two 75-horsepower engines.

“The boat was described to be a color green and white with red line which sped off towards northeast in the direction of Alice reef and Bulubulu island of Tawi-Tawi,” he said.

Tan said ground and naval forces immediately conducted intelligence operations established security points at the kidnappers’ probable routes.

Tan said the military is continuously coordinating and sharing intelligence information with Malaysian authorities.

Tan said the kidnappers may have difficulty bringing their captives to Mindanao.

“The sea is rough. The Navy said they will have difficulty crossing because of the sea condition,” he said.

If the kidnapping was indeed perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf, the group did it possibly to distract the military from its operations against the group in Sulu and in Basilan.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he “suspects” the kidnap victims will be brought to Tawi-Tawi, Jolo in Sulu, or Basilan, where it would be easier for the Abu Sayyaf to hide.

He also said the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf is continuing.

President Duterte has said he wants the Abu Sayyaf destroyed during his term.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/gov%E2%80%99t-forces-locating-kidnapped-malaysians