A MEMBER of the Philippine Coast Guard assigned as sea marshal was wounded in a knife attack on board a ship off Sulu, a PCG official said Monday, October 8.
Lieutenant Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station commander, identified the injured PCG personnel as Seaman Second Class (SN2) Michael Ladja, the marshal head of M/V Ever Queen.
Ramos said the knife attack happened aboard the passenger vessel on Friday afternoon near the town of Siasi, Sulu.
He said the suspect, who was shot and killed by the other sea marshals, was identified as Juldi Mahbud, a resident of Siasi.
Ramos said investigation showed Ladja was accompanying the vessel crew, who was at that time conducting ticket inspection, when Mahbud went berserk and stabbed the sea marshal.
He said the M/V Ever Queen returned to Siasi and brought Ladja to a hospital.
Later, the vessel resumed its voyage to Jolo, the capital of Sulu.
Ladja is recuperating at a private hospital in this city after he was fetched from Jolo, by the BRP-Bagacay (MRRV-4410) dispatched by Captain Joseph Coyme, Coastguard District Southwestern Mindanao commander.
Ramos has advised the PCG personnel assigned as marshals to take the necessary precautions to prevent a repeat of similar incident. (SunStar Philippines)