Mayor, 31 others held in Malaysia back in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - The 32 Liberal Party (LP) members and a policeman briefly held by Malaysian authorities have safely arrived in Taganak Island, Tawi-Tawi province on Thursday night.

Senior Superintendent Joselito Salido, Tawi-Tawii provincial police director, said that the group of Languyan Mayor Rommel Matba arrived in Taganao Island at around 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Salido said that the mayor and the others were released at around 6:15 p.m. on Thursday night.

Matba, his runningmate Amman Matba, escort Police Officer 2 Hassan Bin Abdullah and 29 other people were held for questioning by Malaysian authorities after their motorlaunch drifted into the waters of Sabah on Tuesday night.

The group was bound for Taganak Island for a political campaign when their boat's engine malfunctioned and drifted towards the territorial waters of Sabah, near Lahad Datu, where Malaysian authorities are hunting down supporters of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

Salido said that Matba's group was escorted by Malaysian navy and marine police personnel to Taganak Island.

The provincial police commander also said that the Malaysian authorities also returned the service firearm of Abdulla.