ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 2, 2013) – Malaysia has filed terrorism charges against 7 Filipinos accused of aiding or supporting a rag-tag army of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram in Sabah where the group is battling security forces.
It said 7 Filipinos, whose ages are 20 to 63, were could face the death penalty if found guilty. A police corporal in Sabah was also charged for not disclosing information about the “terrorist acts” in Lahad Datu town and he could be jailed for 7 years if proven guilty by the court.
Five of those charged were accused of waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or the King of Malaysia whose position is now being held by Tuanku Abdul Halim. They were also accused of joining a terrorist group.
The two other Filipinos are facing charges of recruiting and harboring terrorists or participating in terrorism which carries a maximum 20 to 30 years in jail if they are convicted.
Malaysia has charged a total of 16 people with terrorism-related acts in connection with the intrusion of Sultan Jamalul’s men in Lahad Datu in February.
He said his brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin and about 200 loyal followers to exert historical claims over Sabah and demand recognition from Kuala Lumpur, which tagged the group as terrorists.
The deadly standoff resulted in the deaths of at least 66 people on the side of Sultan Jamalul and 10 on Malaysia; and over 400 people had been arrested in suspicion of supporting or aiding the group of Raja Muda Agbimuddin.
The fighting forced thousands of Filipinos to flee Sabah and returned to the southern Philippines.
Sabah or North Borneo was ceded to the Sultan of Sulu by the Sultan of Brunei for helping quell a rebellion in the 17th century. But Malaysia annexed the oil-rich state following a referendum in 1963, although it continues to pay an annual “cession” money amounting to P77,000 to the Sultanate of Sulu. (Mindanao Examiner)
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