MANILA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- A Philippine military spokesman on Sunday confirmed the kidnapping of seven Indonesian sailors, saying the new batch of victims are probably being held somewhere in Sulu province.
Quoting a statement issued by the Western Mindanao Command, Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the seven Indonesian sailors were kidnapped "on the high seas of Indonesia on or about June 22 at around 11 a.m.."
He said the military in the region "is now assessing the situation and will plan for the best course of action to address the given situation."
Padilla gave no other details of the fresh abductions that prompted Jakarta to halt its coal shipment to the Philippines unless the seven kidnapped Indonesian sailors are secured.
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