KOTA KINABALU: The 32 foreigners arrested near Tambisan in Lahad Datu have been released and escorted back to the Philippines after their identities were confirmed.
Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib said the Filipino group consist a politician and his supporters for the Tawi-Tawi ongoing mayoral elections in the Philippines.
“The group had inadvertently drifted from their route about 12 nautical miles away from Tambisan at about 2am on April 8 when they were apprehended by Malaysian marine police,” he said.
“We have released and escorted them back on their boat to the Philippine sea borders at about 5pm on Thursday,” he said after a promotion ceremony headed by Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar at the state police headquarters on Friday.
Hamza said the Filipino group were on their way to the Taganak Islands to campaign for the mayoral election for Tawi-Tawi when their boat developed engine problems.
The 32 detained men armed with firearms and other weapons were earlier detained and investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Meanwhile, he said four more people have been charged in the Tawau high court for engaging in terrorist activities in Sabah and for waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
This brings the total number of men charged under the section to 20.
Earlier, Ismail urged all the police continue giving their best to the community and improve in terms of strategy planning for the security of the state.
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