The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur confirmed that six of the 23 suspects in the kidnappings cases in the waters off Sabah already have arrest warrants.
The Filipino suspects are reportedly being pursued in “the hinterlands of Sulu and Basilan provinces.”
Earlier this month, President Rodrigo Duterte went to Malaysia to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the two agreed to work together to solve the kidnapping incidents in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas.
“Philippine authorities welcomes any information their Malaysian counterparts may have that would lead to the arrest of these wanted individuals,” the Embassy said.
The six suspects with arrest warrants are Apo Mike (also known as Majan Sahidjuan), Hatib Hayan (aka Sawadjaan), Alden Bagde (aka Sayning), Muamar Askali (aka Abu Rami), Idang Susukan and Alhabsy Misaya.
Philippine forces have been able to arrest and kill other suspects earlier named by Malaysian authorities. One of them is Khadafy, who is now detained in the Zamboanga Del Norte Provincial Jail.
The list of 23 kidnapping suspects were from Malaysia’s Eastern Sabah Security Command.
There have been several reports in the past of fishermen and foreign tourists abducted by armed men in Sabah waters. KS/RAM
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