KOTA KINABALU: Police are probing rescued Filipina worker Marcy Darawan @ Mimi, to determine if she had a hand in the kidnap-for-ransom episode at Singamata Reef Resort in Semporna, where she and a Chinese national were taken by a group of armed Sulu men on April 2.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib revealed yesterday that the 40-year-old resort worker has been flown to Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur, together with the Chinese victim Gao Hua Yuan, where they will give their account of the incident to be recorded for further analysis.
Hamza’s revelation is consistent with recent statements from East Sabah Security Command’s (ESSCom) intelligence officer ACP Hashim Justin that they were investigating the possibility of an “insider” who could have helped the kidnappers sneak through the tight security around the resort area.
“If we find that Mimi was not involved in the kidnapping, then she will be allowed to go home to her family in the Philippines.
“For now, statements will be taken from both of them to facilitate the investigation,” he said, adding that Bukit Aman was supposed to take their statements as soon as they arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak revealed on Twitter early Friday evening that Marcy and Gao, a student-tourist from Shanghai, had been released with no ransom paid after being held captive by the abductors for nearly two months.
The two were later seen ushered by security personnel into Terminal 1 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 5.40am yesterday, to board a 6am Malaysia Airlines flight, MH2637 to Kuala Lumpur.
It was reported that Gao and Marcy were brought out by the Royal Malaysia Police from an island in Jolo, Southern Philippines before they arrived in Sandakan at 4.30pm Friday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman expressed his gratitude and commended the security agencies from Malaysia and the Philippines for their continuous collaboration which had led to the release of the victims.
Musa, who is also ESSCom chairman, said such a complex rescue operation required sound coordination between the agencies involved and Malaysia and the Philippines have proven to have effective partnership in dealing with trans-border kidnapping.