Pirates hijack fishing boat; 2 CAFGUs killed

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines – A fishing boat based in this city was hijacked by pirates, killing two paramilitary forces escorting one of its water crafts off the waters of Basilan, the police said yesterday.

The attack was only known when personnel of the AMR fishing port reported the incident to the Ayala police station, west of this city on Friday.

The victims were identified as Noel Enolva and Faustino Labastida, both members of the Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary (SCAA) detailed as fishing boat escorts. 

The police reported that based on the investigation, the fishing fleet of the CMD 1 were on a fishing venture in the fishing grounds off Pandukan in Lantawan town, Basilan when three gunmen on board a small motorboat intercepted Thursday, about 9 p.m. one of the fish carrier crafts. 

The gunmen were trying to extort protection money from the fishing boat but were turned down by the personnel.

The two escorting paramilitary troopers fired warning shots to ward off the gunmen but fired and killed instead the two SCAA members. 

The police said the rest of the fishing crew jumped overboard and escaped from the attacking gunmen. 

The suspects failed to extract extortion money but fled with the two service firearms of the victims that include an M14 and one M1 Garrand rifles. 

The remains of the two slain militiamen were retrieved by the crew who swam back to the boat and sailed to the west coast fishing port of this city.