Sabah marine police intercept boats with 37 illegal Filipinos

KOTA KINABALU: Marine police have arrested 37 people believed to be fleeing the conflict in southern Philippines.

They were held in separate operations in waters off east coast Sandakan over the past three days.

Sandakan Marine police chief Asst Supt Mazre Che Mahmod said eight Philippines nationals were detained when police intercepted a boat off Nunuyan at 12.30am on Sept 20.

Barely 12 hours later, another boat was intercepted near a swamp at Nunuyan with 20 Filipinos on board.

ASP Mazre said police intercepted another boat at Pamaguan at 12.30pm on Thursday that was transporting nine Filipinos.

The marine police were on heightened alert following the Philippine military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and drug traffickers on Jolo island.

The arrests came just days after police detained a 33-year-old Filipino for having 30 M16 assault rifle bullets, a 65cm sword, walkie-talkies, handphones and fatigues in his house at Kampung Mangkalinau in Sandakan.

Also detained was the man’s 13-year-old daughter.

Sabah CID chief Senior Asst Comm Salehhudin Abdul Rahman said they were probing if the man had any links to militant groups in southern Philippines.

In a related development, ASP Mazre said marine police found 629 packets of cooking oil hidden under rubber mats at Tanjung Lihak Lihak, Tabangki, on Sept 20.

He said the oil, worth RM1,572, was about to be smuggled into southern Philippines when police discovered the cache at a beach there.