KOTA KINABALU: Nine out of the 10 fishermen kidnapped by militants believed to be linked to the Abu Sayyaf terror group in Lahad Datu waters on Tuesday, have been released and are now under the care of the security forces in the southern Philippines.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah when contacted by Bernama today confirmed the matter and said further discussions with the Philippine authorities were underway as the kidnapped victims had no documents.
“The discussions will be conducted before a decision (whether they are to be brought back to Sabah) is made because they (victims) have no personal identity documents.
“The Philippine authorities met with the victims on the street in a town in an island in the southern Philippines at 10 pm yesterday as they walked in a group after being released by the kidnappers who knew they had no money to pay,” he said.
Omar said the fate of the other victim was still unknown.
Commenting on a local newspaper report stating that the kidnapped victims were not Bajau Laut (Sea Gypsies), he said police would conduct an inquiry into the matter. – Bernama
