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