15 Pinoys, Malaysian cop to face court Friday for Sabah intrusion

 News
Apr 102013
 
Fifteen Filipinos and a Malaysian police officer will face a high court on Friday over the standoff and fatal clashes in Sabah between followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Malaysian security forces.

The 16 had been tentatively charged before the magistrate’s court due to the Lahad Datu incident, Malaysia’s state-run Bernama news agency reported Wednesday evening.

Of the 16 who will be brought before the Tawau High Court Friday, eight are facing a possible death penalty as they were slapped the additional charge of waging war on the King.

The other Filipinos face charges of terrorism, harboring terrorists and recruiting people to join terrorist groups, the Bernama report said.

The policeman is charged with concealing information on terrorist activities.

Armed followers of Kiram led by Kiram’s brother Raja Muda entered Sabah last February and engaged Malaysian forces in a two-week standoff that resulted in deadly clashes March 1 and 2, which in turn prompted Malaysian forces to mount offensives against Kiram’s followers starting March 5. — BM, GMA News

Malaysian police believe Raja Muda alive, still in Lahad Datu

 News
Mar 132013
 
Malaysian police believe Raja Muda alive, still in Lahad Datu

Malaysian cops check papers of Sabah residents. Malaysian policemen check a woman’s documents during a security check in Lahad Datu on Monday, March 11. Malaysian police shot dead a teenager and injured a man on March 10 as they try to end a month-long incursion by Filipino gunmen in remote Sabah state that has seen 62 people killed. AFP/Mohd Rasfan Malaysian police believe Raja Muda Azzimudie (Agbimuddin) Kiram, brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, is still alive and in the Lahad Datu district in Sabah and likely could not get past the tight cordon there, a Malaysian news site reported Wednesday. Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib also said Agbimuddin is not likely to abandon his followers, who remain the subjects of Malaysian mopping-up operations, The New Straits Times reported. “That is why we have a high confidence that he is still here. Our security at sea is very tight and there is no way he could have escaped,” the NST quoted him as saying. Agbimuddin is leading the armed Kiram followers in Sabah. Malaysian forces continue to hold operations in Sabah to flush them out, after Kuala Lumpur rejected a ceasefire offer from the sultan. Teenage boy killed, considered a terrorist Meanwhile, Hamza said a teenage boy gunned down at Sungai Bilis last Sunday was likely one of Kiram’s followers. Hamza said the boy was among the “terrorists” as he exited from the war zone area. “We could not confirm whether he was a Malaysian or a foreigner Read More …

Sultan’s brother open to ‘peaceful’solution

 News
Feb 262013
 
Sultan’s brother open to ‘peaceful’solution

SABAH STANDOFF Conflict puts 800,000 Filipinos in danger, says Roxas By Frances Mangosing, Maila Ager INQUIRER.net 1:54 pm | Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 The heirs of the Sultan of Sulu: (seated from left) Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin Kiram, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II and (standing from left) Datu Alianapia Kiram, Datu Phugdal Kiram and Datu Baduruddin Kiram. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The brother of the sultan of Sulu said his group in Lahad Datu town in Sabah was open to negotiate with the Malaysian government just to have a “peaceful” solution to the Sabah standoff. “Yes. Talagang peaceful negotiation ang kailangan…so long as our rights will not be taken away from us. Negotiation talaga ng gusto namin,” Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram told Radyo Inquirer 990AM on Wednesday when asked if they were open to negotiations. “Kailangan namin ng ganun, peaceful. We have to renegotiate in a peaceful way,” said Raja Muda, brother of Jamalulu Kiram III. Raja Muda said the standoff could be resolved peacefully “so long as there is no betrayal, so long as they are sincere with the negotiation.” His statements came just a day after Sultan Jamalul rejected President Benigno Aquino  III’s call  to withdraw  the armed group in the disputed land or “face the full force of the law.” Raja Muda said they were ready to listen to the President and accept his views if they think these were right. Unfortunately, the sultan’s brother did not agree with the President’s claim that they may have violated Philippine laws when they refused to leave the land. “As President and chief executor of our laws, I have tasked an investigation Read More …