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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Kidnap suspects fled toward Sulu’

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THE military is not yet sure if Abu Sayyaf terrorists were behind the abduction of three Malaysian fishermen off Sabah on Sept. 10, an official said Monday

But Major Felimon Tan Jr., spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said initial intelligence reports showed that the abductors and their victims were on board two speedboats that moved toward Tawi-Tawi.

He said the military was continuing to ascertain the identity of the group behind the abduction and to pinpoint the place where they might be hiding.

“The abductors comprised seven armed men in a two 75-horsepower speedboats,” Tan said. 

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“The boats sped northeast in the direction of Alice reef and Bulubulu island off Tawi-Tawi.”

Tan made his statement even as the Education Department in Davao City said six public schools  received bomb threats last week.

Department spokesman Jenielito Atillo said the bomb threats on public elementary and secondary schools started after the bloody blast at the Roxas night market on Sept. 2 that killed 14 people and injured 70 others.

But he said no bomb was found in any of the schools. 

Tan He said the abduction of the Malaysian fishermen was reported to the Philippine military by the Malaysian military from the Eastern Sabah Security Command at 11 p.m.

He said the place where the three Malaysians were abducted was in the general area of Pom Pom island near the Mataking Island Resort off Sempurnah, Sabah.

More than two days after the abduction, the military has yet to come up with an official report whether or not the abductors were indeed the Abu Sayyaf.

But Tan said he believed the abductors could still be in hiding in the Sabah area because the distance from Sempurnah and Tawi-Tawi was four hours.

“The waves are very strong, and the Navy says it would be very difficult for the abductors to cross the sea,” Tan said. 

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