TAWAU: The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) has denied claims that the Abu Sayyaf group had abducted and mutilated villagers in the forest in Sabah, which went viral on the WhatsApp application on Monday.
ESSCom Commander Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman said the voice note which went viral together with a 1.03-minute video clip showing a man being attacked with a parang and shot several times in a bush did not happen in Sabah but in the Philippines.
“Stop circulating this fake news and do not believe the audio (voice note) because the incident actually occurred in the Philippines,” he told Bernama on Monday.
He said the Royal Malaysia Police was tracking down the person responsible for circulating the fake content and causing concern among the public.
The 23-second voice note went viral on Monday, alleging that the Abu Sayyaf group had committed such action after the Sabah police shot dead five of their members at a mangrove swamp area near Taman Sri Arjuna, Beaufort on May 17. – Bernama