Two suspects, believed to be kidnappers from the southern Philippines, were caught in the incident in Pulau Gaya waters
SEMPORNA: Police confirmed that three of the seven suspects believed to be kidnappers from the southern Philippines had been shot dead in a gunfire exchange with the General Operations Force (GOF) in Pulau Gaya waters here on Thursday night.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said two suspects were arrested while another two had gone missing together with a kidnap victim. The enforcement team, however, managed to rescue the boat skipper, who was one of the two kidnapped victims.
Rashid, in a press conference held at the Semporna police station yesterday morning, said the two victims were on the kidnappers’ boat during the shooting incident. They were kidnapped at Bekapit waters in Lahad Datu and Pulau Gaya, Semporna, respectively.
“The 40-minute drama started when the seven suspects, who were in a boat, kidnapped the boat skipper in his 30s (IMM13 holder) at Bekapit waters in Lahad Datu at about 9pm on Dec 8.
“The kidnappers damaged the communication equipment of the boat skipper before heading to Semporna waters and ran into another fishing boat. Here, the kidnappers only managed to take the outboard engine of the fishing boat as the fishermen had jumped into the sea.
“The kidnappers encountered another fishing boat, and this time, they kidnapped the boat skipper in his 30s, who is also an IMM13 holder. The kidnappers then continued on their journey and approached a fourth boat, which belonged to the GOF Tiger Platoon who was carrying out Ops Coral at Pulau Gaya waters,” Rashid further explained.
The GOF unit saw the boat and the kidnappers holding heavy weapons, and one had his body laden with bullets. The GOF then shouted ‘Police’, causing the kidnappers to open fire.
The GOF unit returned fire to defend themselves.
Rashid said the shooting incident lasted about a minute when the kidnappers’ boat started to sink slowly.
Rashid said the team then approached the boat and found three kidnappers dead. They then quickly detained the other two kidnappers and saved a kidnap victim from the boat.
He said two other kidnappers had gone missing, together with another kidnap victim.
He said a GOF personnel with the rank of a Lance Corporal sustained injury on his right leg during the shooting incident and was now under treatment at Semporna Hospital.
Rashid also urged residents at the waters and islands nearby to contact the police immediately if they saw the two suspects and the kidnap victim. The Op Coral is a special operation being carried out since September this year.