Navy nabs boat from Sabah

Navy nabs boat from Sabah

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.