| 42 Pinoys nabbed in Sabah, Malaysia ZAMBOANGA, (ABS-CBN) - The
Malaysian police detained 42 Filipinos in Sabah, Malaysia after they were arrested in the
waters off the island of Borneo, the head of the Malaysian Navy said Friday.
The 42 were arrested on Wednesday on board small boats in
Kaningan Island off Sabah, Jen Tan Sri Mahd Zahidi Zainuddin, head of the Royal Malaysian
Navy said.
Those arrested are now being investigated by the police, but
Malaysian authorities said it is too early to tell if they are members of dreaded Abu
Sayyaf group.
The report from the Malaysian military attache also disclosed
that 60 other Filipinos returned back to the Philippines as they were in international
waters.
The apprehension of the 42 nationals is the first since a
military offensive in Sulu started last week against the Abu Sayyaf group.
Malaysia said it is watching its waters for possible refugees
amid the assault in Jolo province in Sulu against the extremist group holding 17 hostages,
including three Malaysians.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced recently
that fleeing Filipinos arriving on Malaysia's shores would be treated as war refugees.
"If they come, we will treat them like we treated the
Vietnamese previously," Mahathir said. "We can no longer accept them as illegal
immigrants but as war refugees to be put in a special place."
But Mahathir said that Malaysian authorities would not allow
such Filipinos to leave designated areas, probably refugee camps, until they agree to
return home.
The Malaysian government fears that some civilians may try to
escape to Malaysian territory on Borneo, which lies across narrow seas from the war zone.
It has long been an entry point for illegal Filipino immigrants.
During the past week, Malaysian authorities bolstered security
in the waters surrounding Sabah, deploying troops even on uninhabited islands and ordering
police to shoot intruders on sight.
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