JOLO ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 01 Jan) – Security forces searched patches of scattered islands for pirates who held dozens of Filipino fishermen off the southern Tawi-Tawi province near Sabah.
The pirates seized two trawlers at the weekend near Kantipayan Island and held its crew for ransom until navy gunboats arrived. The gunmen were demanding five hundred thousand pesos from the boat owners, the military said.
The pirates abandoned the hostages and escaped on motorboats when they saw two navy vessels approaching the ships.
The fishermen said they were seized before sunrise on Sunday and freed almost 12 hours later.
The military said it learned about the incident after the fishermen sent out an emergency code and that the navy was ordered to rescue the hostages.
Pirate attacks are common in the Sulu Archipelago where pirates and rebels actively operate. The archipelago is a rich marine area, but also a dangerous fishing ground and even ferries had been attacked in the past.(Mindanao Examiner)
1 comment:
Navy should really develop to defend the coastline
Post a Comment