Navy arrests sea marauders off Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Naval elements captured 15 suspected sea marauders allegedly extorting fishing boats operating off Sulu, according to a senior Navy official.

Rear Admiral Emilio Marayag, Naval Forces Western Mindanao-Combined (NFWM-C) chief, said the naval personnel also recovered various firearms of high caliber from the suspects, where three were identified as members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Marayag said the suspects, who identified themselves as members of the Marina of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were caught Friday in the act of extorting clusters of fishing boats in the waters of Dasaan, 11 nautical miles off Sulu.

“Three of the suspects were identified as members of the MILF. We believed that this is part of their fund-raising drive exacting money from the legitimate fishing boats operating in the area,” Marayag said. He said the Navy under Task Force 62 discovered the nefarious activity following a tip by informants of the suspects’ operation on the pretext of enforcing maritime law.

“But they were actually collecting money and preventing the fishing boats from poaching if the desired demands are not paid,” Marayag said. The Navy official also said their suspicions were also bolstered by the non-coordination of the suspects in the implementation of the laws.

The suspects were brought to the city and placed under NFWM-C custody while further investigation is being conducted against the background of the suspects.

The Navy recalled that poaching by foreign vessels from the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia were unabated due to the pseudo permission by extortion groups in exchange for fee in the waters off Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.