KL police detain eight Filipinos

KL police detain eight Filipinos

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysian marine police arrested on Wednesday eight Filipinos, who were armed with a shotgun and knives, in three boats which illegally entered waters off Sabah state.

Sabah marine police chief Mohamed Yusof Wok said the eight were between the ages of 10 and 36, and were from islands off Palawan island in the southern Philippines.

He said police were investigating their motive in trying to slip into Sabah, which is Malaysia's nearest territory to the southern Philippines.

Mohamed said the eight were from the Kagayan community and were heading for Taganak island near Sabah's Sandakan coastal town.

Malaysia has beefed up patrols and security around Sabah following the latest abduction of 20 people from a Philippine resort island south of Palawan by rebels from the Philippine Muslim group the Abu Sayyaf.