Dangerous Water: Piracy and Philippines

[Terpe]

.....the Sulu-Celebes Sea, encompassing the waters around Indonesia, Malaysia's eastern Sabah state and the Philippines, has become an area of growing concern.
Since March 2016, a spate of kidnap-for-ransom incidents have been reported there and in the waters off eastern Sabah.
These attacks were attributed mainly to the Abu Sayyaf militant group operating out of the southern Philippines, although some appear to be criminal groups.

I'd advise not cruising around the area in your luxury yatcht looking for that paradise island for sale

[Tawi2]

I did the pinas-sabah crossing years ago,from sitangkai to sabah with the badjao and back with people smugglers,at the time the area was heavily pirated,i think by Tausug?