By Roel Pareño
JOLO, Philippines — Defense and security officials plan to push for a multinational task force to end cross-border kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf group.
The enhancement of security plans was announced as top defense and security officials visited Sulu on Tuesday.
Gen. Eduardo Año, Armed Forces chief of staff, said they are enhancing the security in the common borders of Philippine, Malaysia and Indonesia following spate of cross border kidnappings staged by the Abu Sayyaf group.
The Abu Sayyaf have already taken dozens of Malaysians, Indonesians captured in previous years. The bandit group has recently taken 11 Vietnamese sailors in two separate attacks in high seas near the border off Tawi-Tawi.
Most of the victims taken by the Abu Sayyaf group were brought to Sulu and were held for ransom, according to a security official.
Malaysia-based non-profit International Maritime Bureau recently expressed concerns and declared the borders in the Sulu Sea between the Philippines and eastern Malaysia and the Philippines dangerous for merchant shipping due to kidnapping and piracy.
Gen. Año said the Philippines will propose joint security in the coming Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in April.
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