Five Indonesians arrested in RP

Five Indonesians arrested in RP

MANILA: Five Indonesian men without travel documents and
believed to be engaged in smuggling were arrested in the southern
Philippines over the weekend, the authorities said Monday.

Lasdimahalin Amka, 35, Naser Sapate Masang, 23, Junjun
Manberes, 18, Johnny Manberes, 19, and Dureying Duremalam, 20,
were arrested on Sunday near the town of Maasin on Mindanao
island, they said.

National police spokesman Senior Superintendent Leopoldo
Bataoil earlier put the number of arrested men at four, but
regional military spokesman Major Julieto Ando later added
Duremalam's name.

While the group appeared to be "apparently engaged in the
shipment or smuggling" of crude oil, kerosene and construction
materials, they are also being investigated by the immigration
bureau for "any links with foreign terrorist organizations,"
Bataoil said without elaborating.

The Philippines has been on heightened alert following a spate
of deadly bomb attacks blamed on local Muslim terrorists this
month. -- AFP