Navy nabs boat from Sabah

Sat, 16 Mar 1996, 00:00 WIB

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (UPI): The Philippine navy has
nabbed in southern Philippine waters a motor boat carrying 117
passengers and alleged contraband goods believed to come from
Sabah, Malaysia, officials said yesterday.

Commodore Edilberto Varona said the boat was sailing on
Thursday afternoon on the Pearl Bank group of islands in
southernmost Tawi-Tawi province, 1,200 kilometers from Manila,
when it was intercepted by a navy patrol craft.

Navy officials immediately boarded the vessel and discovered
it was carrying 77 women and 40 men and an unspecified amount of
contraband goods, including electronics.

Varona said officials were still checking the nationality of
the passengers, since they could be illegal Filipino workers
being repatriated from Sabah. Appropriate charges are set to be
filed if they were found to be illegal entrants.

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