‘Indonesian fishers snatched off Sabah not in Sulu’

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The military has denied reports by Malaysian authorities that two Indonesian fishermen kidnapped in the waters off Sabah on Tuesday are now in Sulu.

Samsul Saguni, 40, and Usman Yunus, 35, were brought to Talipao by the kidnappers, Malaysian authorities were quoted as saying by an online news site based in Sabah.

 An unidentified Malaysian security official claimed Saguni and Yunus arrived in Talipao at about 3 a.m also on Tuesday.

“That’s according to them... There are no such reports like that from our troops,” Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said. 

Besana said personnel of the Joint Task Forces Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have not confirmed the presence of the captives. “Based on intelligence reports...it’s not in their area,” he said.

“If ever, we could have intercepted them immediately...Considering the information given to us, there’s a slim possibility... to just cross our border unnoticed because of the watercraft they are using. Until now, there is no such report from our forces,” Besana added.

Abu Sayyaf bandits were believed behind the kidnapping, but Besana said Malaysian authorities have yet to establish the identities of the kidnappers.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines alerted government troopers in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu after receiving reports on the kidnapping from their Malaysian counterparts. 

Gunmen on a speedboat reportedly snatched the Indonesian fishermen from their boat off Palau Bodgaya, Sempornah at around 1 a.m.

Three other Indonesian fishermen remain in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf.

The kidnapping occurred more than two years after the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia adopted a trilateral agreement for joint patrols to address hijacking and kidnapping at their common border.