ZAMBOANGA - Fourteen Malaysians aboard four fishing boats have been arrested by Philippine authorities near the southern maritime border of the two countries, a military report said today.

The four Malaysian trawlers were intercepted by police and the navy near the Turtle Islands off the southern Tawi-Tawi islands on August 26, the report said. It did not say why the arrests were only disclosed now.

The 14 crewmen and their boats were turned over to police in Taganak island and charges of illegal fishing and illegal entry have been filed against them.

The four boats were said to have come from Sandakan in the Sabah.

In a separate incident, also on Aug 26, six Filipino fishermen were caught aboard a motorized outrigger boat, using explosives to illegally catch fish in the Turtle Islands, the military said.

The Filipinos have been jailed on charges of illegal possession of explosives. - AFP