[Mindanao Examiner] Pirates attacked a group of fishermen and killed at least eight of them off of Zamboanga City and officials said five others survived the attack. Sangali village chief Daud Bakil said the attack occurred late Monday near Siromon Island. The incident was only reported early Tuesday after two of the survivors managed to flee and return to Sangali. The gunmen asked the fishermen if they were Muslims and shot them if they failed to recite a prayer. The bodies of the fishermen were recovered on their boat. Their hands were all tied with a nylon rope.
Recently, Abu Sayyaf militants tried, but failed to hijack a Filipino cargo ship while sailing off Basilan near Zamboanga City. The gunmen, aboard two speedboats, attacked the vessel off Sibago Island. The ship was heading to Davao City when it came under fire. It managed to escape.
It was the second cargo ship attacked by militants off Basilan since November last year. Abu Sayyaf fighters also hijacked a Vietnamese cargo ship and seized six crewmen, including its captain in a bold attack November 11 that left one sailor injured.