LAHAD DATU: Kidnap victims in the east coast of Sabah could end up being trafficked again after being freed from captivity in the hands of groups in the southern Philippines, said Hazani Ghazali, commander of the Eastern Sabah Security Command.
He said certain parties, called negotiators, could take advantage of the situation to make a profit from the freeing of the victims who had been held for ransom.
“The victims are kidnapped (by the groups) for the purpose of trafficking, then released (when ransom is paid), but there are certain parties called (freedom) negotiators taking advantage (by asking for additional ransom)… we do not deny this,” he said.
He told reporters this after handing over contributions of equipment for roadblock operations to representatives of the district police headquarters and the armed forces.
Hazani said at least five individuals had been identified as heads of the Southern Philippines kidnapping groups, which crossed the Malaysia-Philippine border to kidnap members of the maritime community in eastern Sabah.
However, he said, there was no way of knowing the exact number of kidnapping groups as one group might join another based on mutual understanding.
“For these groups, whenever there is a chance to make a profit, they will take it. If there’s a victim, then the kidnapping can occur at any time,” he said.
Hazani denied that five Indonesian fishermen who had been abducted off Tambisan, Tungku, in January had been handed over to a middleman in Jolo, Southern Philippines. He said they were still in the custody of the kidnappers.
The five victims have been identified as Arsyad Dahlan, 41, La Baa, 32, Riswanto Hayano, 27, Edi Lawalopo 53, and Syarizal Kastamiran, 29.
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