Police have leads on fishers' killers

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Authorities yesterday said they already have leads on the armed group responsible for the killing of 15 fishermen near an island in Basilan last Monday.

Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes, chief commanding officer of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command, said the military is fully coordinating with the police in the investigation before an operation is launched against the suspects.

This, as the Naval Forces Western Mindanao is set to establish heavy presence in the area between Basilan and the Zamboanga Peninsula to quell attacks on fishermen by armed groups and pirates, said its chief, Rear Admiral Armand Guzman.

“There are already leads as to the group responsible for the attack,” Coballes said, referring to the incident off Sibago Island that left 15 fishermen from San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur dead and three others wounded.