The Philippine Navy has seized firearms and ammunition from 35 suspected followers of the Sulu sultanate, one of them a woman, intercepted in waters around Andolingan Island in Tawi-Tawi this morning.

 

Navy spokesperson Lt-Commander Gregory Fabic said the patrol ship BRP Mariano Alvarez and the gunboat BRP Jose Andrada intercepted two boats west of Andolingan Island around 6.30am.

 

Fabic said initial reports indicated that at least one of the boats was headed for Sabah.

 

NONE The suspects are expected to arrive in Batobato, Tawi-Tawi for investigation.

 

There have been reports of Tausug people heading out to reinforce the followers of the Sulu sultanate in Sabah since hostilities with Malaysian security forces broke out early this month.

 

Both the Philippines and Malaysia have set up naval blockades to prevent reinforcements from joining the sultanate’s followers in Sabah.

 

Before this incident, Philippine authorities said they had also intercepted 70 of the sultanate’s followers who were heading to Sabah.

 

Also, hundreds of Filipinos from Sabah have arrived in the southern Philippines after fleeing from what many of them say is a crackdown by the Malaysian authorities.

- InterAksyon

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