Manila to probe island 'intrusion'

Manila to probe island 'intrusion'

MANILA (AFP): Two Philippine congressmen are to investigate
reports that the Malaysian navy allegedly abducted seven
Filipinos from a Philippine island when visiting the area,
officials said yesterday.

Jaime Lopez, chairman of the House of Representatives foreign
affairs committee, and Roquito Ablan of the interparliamentary
relations and diplomacy committee told reporters they would visit
the Balabac strait to determine if the Malaysians committed
violations on Philippine territory.

The senate on Monday announced its own investigation into the
reported raid by a Malaysian navy vessel on the seven Filipinos
on the tiny island of Mangsee in the Balabac group last April 15.

Defense Secretary Renato de Villa had said the attack "was in
retaliation (for) a piracy attack by suspected Filipino pirates
coming from the general area against a Malaysian fishing boat, so
this has now taken on an international diplomatic dimension."