Detained Filipinos not militants, says CP

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Ramli Din has confirmed that the eight Filipinos arrested for trying to sneak into Sabah last week were not militants.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Ramli said that a thorough investigation and vetting was done on these people.

“Yes we have checked, we have vetted, they do not have any militant connection. They are just normal people who come here to look for greener pasture,” he said when asked to comment on the arrest.

On July 7, marine police arrested the eight Filipinos, including a woman, after a short pursuit in the waters off Mile 7 in Sandakan.

The foreigners and several others were trying to sneak into the state when marine patrol personnel spotted two suspicious boats at 5.30am.

The boats sped off when approached, prompting the marine team to give chase. One of the boat skippers lost control of the boat, which became stranded in shallow waters.

Four people on the boat were arrested, but other passengers managed to escape by jumping into the sea and fleeing into nearby mangroves. Four others were nabbed from the other boat.

Those arrested were from Pulau Bakungan Besar, Zamboanga and Basilan in the southern Philippines.

Ramli stressed that with the current unrest in Marawi City, southern Philippines, the state police force is taking more proactive action and is keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

“We are on the alert and have increased patrols along our borders and in the ESSZone,” he said.

“Police and the Eastern Sabah Security Command are doing all that is necessary to heighten security, particularly in the east coast,” Ramli added.