MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine military says militiamen have rescued 12 Asian crewmen who were left floating on a raft after Indonesian pirates hijacked their vessels.

Philippine marine brigade commander Col. Alexander Balutan said Wednesday that the pirates seized the Malaysian barge and tugboat off Borneo Island on Friday. The crewmen had been heading to Indonesia to pick up some ore to deliver to Davao City in the Philippines.

The commander says the pirates sailed to Celebes Sea between Borneo and the Philippines and abandoned the crewmen Monday.

He says government-armed militiamen manning an outpost overlooking the sea rescued the men in waters off the southern Philippines late Tuesday.

He says the men suffered only minor injuries and dehydration. Six were Indonesian, five Malaysian and the 12th was from Myanmar.