Operations underway against abductors of Indonesian sailors
June 27, 2016 | 4:30pm
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Military operations are being conducted against the Abu Sayyaf-linked gunmen who have been abducting crews of Malaysian and Indonesian ships in the southern border of Sulu.
The military assured its efforts after Indonesia declared a moratorium on shipments of coal to the Philippines because of the spate of kidnappings from Indonesian tugboats ferrying coal on barges.
Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said government forces have been hitting the Muktadil Brothers, a group of gunmen linked to the Abu Sayyaf group.
Tan identified the members of the group as Nickson Muktadil, his brothers Brown and Badung Muktadil, a certain Dadis, and some followers.
The Muktadil ‘Brothers’ have been tagged in the spate of abductions of seafarers in the southern border. They pass on their captives to the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf.
Since April alone, the group managed to capture at least four Malaysians and 21 Indonesian sailors, including the latest batch of seven.
“We are running after the Muktadil group. Yes, we really hit them,” Tan said. “We have efforts against them, but luckily [for them], they managed to elude us.”
According to Tan, the Muktadil ‘Brothers’ are in the military's ‘order of battle’.
Patrol force augmented
“We are trying our best to safeguard the border,” Tan said in reaction to the Indonesian government's decision to stop coal shipments. The decision imperils the Philippines' power supply because many of the independent power producers operate coal-fired power plants.
Tan stressed that prior to the recent abduction of Indonesian sailors, efforts had been made to help the military run after the sea marauders.
He said among the measures made was to augment addition seacraft from the Philippine Navy to safeguard the vast border against the marauders.
He said Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have also agreed on joint patrols to secure their common border.
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