PH Navy denies shooting incident in Sabah

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Navy on Thursday denied a report in a Malaysian news website, saying they shot 35 armed men from Sulu who were trying to enter Sabah.

“Wala, napakatahimik dito (Nothing, it’s very peacefull here),” Captain Renato Yonke of Navy Task Force 62 in Tawi-Tawi told reporters in a phone interview.

“Walang balita…kasipagka-kwan yan. puputok e (There’s no news, because if that is something (big), it would explode),” he added.

He added that they have so far not intercepted armed persons trying to go to Sabah, but evacuees in Sabah have been arriving to Tawi-Tawi.

In a report by Star Malaysia, Defense Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted as saying that 35 “armed Sulu militants” attempting to enter Sabah were shot dead by the Philippines navy and coast guard on Thursday.

The news article said that based on intelligence reports, the group was attempting to enter Sabah “to cause problems during the general election.”