Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines to hold meeting

The Indonesian Defense Ministry has confirmed that Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines will hold a trilateral meeting to discuss security cooperation in their maritime border areas.

The meeting would be held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Secretary General of the Defense Ministry Vice Admiral Widodo confirmed here, Tuesday.

The meeting will be held to discuss at length a plan to hold trilateral coordinated patrolling activities involving the three countries.

The agreement on conducting joint patrolling formulated during the meeting will be signed by the three defense ministers.

Earlier, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu had affirmed that the three countries should conduct a military exercise prior to carrying out trilateral joint patrols in their maritime borders.

Ryacudu also stated that negotiation was the priority option to secure the release of the hostages, while the use of military should be exercised as the last option.

"A military operation is the last option as it will surely result in the loss of lives. We want to avoid casualties," he emphasized. 

Since March this year, Indonesia has faced five hostage incidents mostly in the waters of southern Philippines, with the two earlier crises ending peacefully as 14 Indonesians were released safely.

Ten Indonesian boat crew members were released on May 1 after being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group since March 26, 2016, while the four others held captive since April 15, 2016, were set free by the same group on May 11.

Later, seven Indonesian ship crew members of Tugboat Charles 001 and Barge Robby 152 were abducted in two incidents, with the first occurring on June 20, 2016, at 11:30 a.m. local time and another at 12:45 p.m. local time in the Sulu Sea while on their way back from the Philippines after delivering coal cargo.

The latest hostage-taking incident occurred on July 9, aboard a Malaysian-flagged trawler LLD113/5/F in the Felda Sahabat waters, Tungku, Lahad Datu, Sabah State, Malaysia.

When the incident happened, the vessel had aboard four Indonesian crew members and three Filipinos of the Bajau Palauh tribe.

Of the vessels seven crew members, three, all Indonesians, were kidnapped, while four others were released.

The Indonesian citizens abducted by the Philippine separatists are 34-year-old Lorence Koten, 42-year-old Teodorus Kopong, and 40-year-old Emanuel.

Source: ANTARA