Another kidnapping in Sabah-Palawan waters?

Philippines media quoted its Armed Forces Western Command chief as saying that two Germans "on their way back to Sabah" after island hopping in Mindanao had gone missing in the high seas.

KOTA KINABALU: Two Germans on board a yacht went missing in the high seas between Palawan in the Philippines and Sabah, raising fears that they were abducted by Abu Sayyaf members, a notorious kidnap-for-ransom group.

Philippines Armed Forces (AFP) Western Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda identified the missing as Stefan Victor Okonek, 71, and Herike Diesen, 55.

Deveraturda said that based on the Philippine Coast Guard report, the two left Palawan for Sabah on April 25 after going island-hopping in Mindanao.

He said the yacht has been recovered but the Germans were nowhere to be found.

“It is confirmed. They were on their way back to Sabah after island hopping.

“We have a report from the Coast Guard that they went to Palawan, then to Sabah,” the Manila Times reported today quoting Deveraturda.

Deveraturda said thus far no one had come forward to claim responsibility over the duo’s disappearance.

“It must be confirmed who are holding them. We don’t want to discount anything because our contacts have not yet confirmed (if they have been abducted).

“So everything is still open or possible. We are still exerting effort. In the meantime, we consider them as missing persons,” he said.

Yesterday a China national working as a manager in a cage fish farm in Pulau Balik in Lahad Datu was kidnapped by armed militants believed to be from southern Philippines.

The latest abduction comes on the heel of Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) director-general Mohammad Mentek’s warning on April 16 that based on their “intelligence” report, southern Philippines bandits were planning wide scale kidnappings on Sabah waters.

Last month the Abu Sayyaf group reportedly kidnapped Gao Huayun, a 29-year old tourist from Shanghai and and Marcy Darawan 40, a Filipino hotel staff at the Singmata Reef Resort in Sabah.

Both victims are yet to be released by their captors. According to reports they are being held in a Abu Sayyaf stronghold in Sulu, where several other kidnap victims are also being held until they comply with the ransom demands.