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Published: Sunday December 5, 2010 MYT 5:36:00 PM

Philippines cops’ help sought in sea robbery probe

By MUGUNTAN VANAR

KOTA KINABALU: Police are working with the Philippines authorities to investigate a high-sea robbery by a suspected militant group close to Sabah’s international borders. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the force had contacted their counterparts in the Philippines to carry out further investigations into the case involving men with firearms robbing the crew of a tugboat carrying timber in Tambisan waters near Lahad Datu a week ago.

“We have urged them to help identify the group involved in the sea robbery and take appropriate follow up action,” Hamza said Sunday. In the incident, six men armed with automatic rifles in a speedboat approached the tugboat and fired a shot in the air before forcing the crew to stop and boarding the vessel at 2.30pm in waters close to the Philippines border.

It is learnt that the men, allegedly linked to the militant extremist group Abu Sayyaf, robbed the crew of their cash, handphones, 700 litres of diesel, Global Positioning System and cooking gas. They then fled into international waters without hurting any of their victims. Hamza said that, following the incident, police stepped up patrols along the sea borders close to the Tambisan area.

“We are now carrying out a very comprehensive patrol in the area and are monitoring various island outposts in the area,” he added. Hamza urged fishermen and boat operators to immediately inform police if they see a potential threat from any group. He said immediate information on their location could help in apprehending any group involved in sea robbery.