PH, Indon, Malaysian defense chiefs to discuss Abu problem

From Malaya Business Insight (Jul 14): PH, Indon, Malaysian defense chiefs to discuss Abu problem

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday said he will go to Malaysia next week to discuss with his Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts the growing number of Abu Sayyaf kidnappings in the waters of the three countries.

Lorenzana, in his first conference since assuming the defense portfolio last July 1, said the discussion will be a continuation of the one held last month with his predecessor, Voltaire Gazmin, which he attended.

“We are going to discuss that (issue) again because the problem is getting worse and we should be addressing this already,” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said his visit to Malaysia will be on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

He announced the visit four days after the kidnapping by suspected Abu Sayyaf members of three Indonesian sailors in Malaysian waters.

“This is just a continuation (of the last meeting)… We have plans but I cannot tell you now what we will do there in the south to control the movements of boats so we can prevent pirates, kidnappers from abducting crews members of tugboats, passenger boats or fishing boats,” Lorenzana said.

Fourteen Indonesian and four Malaysian tugboat crew members were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf in three separate incidents in May and June in these areas. The victims were later released in Sulu, purportedly after payment of ransom.

Last June 22, four more Indonesian tugboat crew members were abducted and are still with their Abu Sayyaf captors in Sulu.

Last Saturday, suspected Abu Sayyaf men seized three Indonesian tugboat crew members.

President Duterte has vowed to end the Abu Sayyaf problem during his term. AFP chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya vowed non-stop operations against the Abu Sayyaf, which has about 300 to 400 members, and operates mainly in Sulu and Basilan.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/ph-indon-malaysian-defense-chiefs-discuss-abu-problem