Navy denies killing 35 ‘militants’ trying to enter Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – The Philippine Navy on Thursday, April 25, denied that navy personnel shot and killed 35 “militants” trying to enter Malaysia.

The Navy said there is no such report coming from the Tawi-Tawi naval task force commander, contradicting reports released by the Malaysian press earlier in the day.

“We have contacted our naval task force commander based in Tawi-Tawi and he said that there is no such report that has come to his attention,” said Col Edgardo Arevalo, Navy spokesperson on West Philippine Sea matters.

Reports in Malaysian media said the 35 militants came from Sulu, and were killed by personnel from the Philippine naval and coast guard forces.

The militants were shot before they entered Malaysian territory, The Star newspaper in Malaysia reported Thursday, April 25, quoting Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who spoke in a press conference in George Town, Malaysia.

The Star, quoting Hamidi, said the group was attempting to enter Sabah to “cause problems” during the Malaysian general elections.

“If they had entered our waters, we would have taken them out. We will defend our country,” The Star quoted Hamidi as saying. – Rappler.com