ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 1, 2013) – Two members of the Royal Malaysia Police and 10 followers of the Sultanate of Sulu were killed in a clash Friday in Sabah, an island being claimed by both groups as theirs.
Among those killed on the Malaysian side were an inspector and a sergeant, and one more wounded in the fighting that broke out in the town of Lahad Datu where hundreds of members of the Sultanate of Sulu headed Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, a brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram.
“Two members of the Malaysian police are killed and one more wounded in the exchange of fire with the group of Sultan Jamalul, and from what we heard from our Manila sources is that 10 people are also killed on the side of Sultan Jamalul,” the source told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner by phone.
Sultan Jamalul has confirmed that 10 of his followers were killed and that four others are wounded in the fighting after Malaysian security forces attacked their group without any provocation.
But Sec. Ricky Carandang, chief of President Benigno Aquino’s Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, said two followers of Sultan Jamalul were arrested after they broke out from a security cordon set up by Malaysian authorities around Lahad Datu town. The two men were later freed and rejoined their group.
He said there was no fighting, but admitted that Malaysian authorities fired warning shots to prevent followers of Sultan Jamalul from escaping the cordon.
“Sometime early this morning may mga tao sa grupo ni Kiram and they were met with Malaysian forces and told to go back and a warning shot is fired and then na-detain ang dalawa (lalaki from Sultan Jamalul’s group) and then pinabalik rin sila doon. We do not confirm that there has been an going firefight and based on the report from Malaysian authorities ay walang firefight,” Carandang told reporters in Manila.
However, Interior Sec. Mar Roxas who was quoting a report by Philippine police attaché in Malaysia said warning shots had been fired after members of the Sultanate of Sulu tried to either sneak into the town or attempting to escape from the cordon that surrounded the group of Sultan Jamalul.
“Mayroon mga taong gustong pumasok ba o lumabas doon sa cordoned-off area sa Lahad Datu…naaresto itong dalawang lalaki at in custody na…walang casualties na report (ang police attaché),” Roxas said during an interview.
In the Philippines, Sultan Jamalul vowed to fight for their historical rights over Sabah, which was called Borneo in the past, and said they are ready to give up their life to defend themselves against attacks by Malaysian security forces.
His brother has been phoning him to report about the situation in Lahad Datu, where thousands of Filipino Muslims are living.
“Buhay pa naman yun kapatid ko at kausap ko siya kanina lang…tuloy itong laban na ito…kung mapatay nila ang aking kapatid eh may kapatid pa kami, marami pang mga tao diyan (na magtatanggol sa Sabah),” Sultan Jamalul said.
Local Muslims said they are supporting the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo and vowed to retaliate should Malaysia attack and killed the leaders of Sultan Jamalul in Sabah.
“Tiyak na maghihiganti ang mga Moro kung totoo ang balitang marami ang namatay sa Sabah. Pati MNLF at Abu Sayyaf at NPA ay maghihiganti,” said Bensaudi Tulawie in Zamboanga City.
He said Manila should throw its support to Sultan Jamalul instead of threatening them and their families with criminal charges for making a strong stand on the Sabah claim.
Bensaudi said he and his families and friends would also campaign strongly against Aquino’s senatorial slate because of the government’s pressure on Sultan Jamalul to give up and return home and save bilateral relations with Malaysia.
“We shall campaign hard against Aquino’s senatorial line up, especially those who are also critical on the issue of Sabah,” he said.
Mid-term elections for the local and national candidates in the Philippines are set on May this year, and how Aquino handles any issues regarding about Muslims and Islam are being closely watched in the South. (Mindanao Examiner)
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