ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 6, 2013) – Damage control ang pilit na isinasagawa ng pamahalaang Aquino matapos na panigan nito ang Malaysia sa pagbabansag na “terorista” ang grupo ni Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram na ngayon ay target ng military assault sa North Borneo.
Sa press statement na inilabas ng Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ngayon ay nakasaad doon na sinang-ayunan ni Department of Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario ang pagtawag na terorista sa mga followers ni Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram sa pangunguna ng kapatid nitong si Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram.
Nakipagkita si Del Rosario kay Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Sri’ Anifah Aman at Defense Minister Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zamid Hamidi kamakalawa ng hating-gabi sa Kuala Lumpur upang pag-usapan ang karahasan sa North Borneo. Kasama sa pagpupulong sina Philippine Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya, Malaysian Foreign Ministry Secretary General Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahman and iba pang mga opisyal.
Sa pagtatanggol ni Malaya kay Del Rosario ay sinabi nitong “the report is out of context.
“In Semporna, there were alleged acts of terrorism. As reported by the Malaysian Foreign Minister, after the police forces were lured into an ambush and killed, their bodies were brutally mutilated and desecrated. If indeed these atrocities were committed as reported to him, the Secretary and the Foreign Minister both agreed that these were, at the very least, terroristic acts,” ani Malaya.
Ngunit mahirap naman pasinungalingan ang pahayag ng Malaysia ukol sa pagsang-ayon ni Del Rosario sa “terrorist” tag sa grupo ni Sultan Jamalul. Inamin rin ng Malaysia na 8 sa mga puwersa nito ang napatay sa sagupaan sa North Borneo.
“Malaysia considers this group as terrorists following their atrocities and brutalities committed in the killing of Malaysia’s security personnel, two in Lahad Datu and six in Semporna, Sabah. Secretary Rosario agreed that this group should be labelled as terrorists,” ayon pa sa pahayag ng Malaysian Foreign Ministry sa kanilang website sa http://www.kln.gov.my/web/guest/fm.
“Malaysia needs clarifications about the law that these terrorists will be charged with in the Philippines, and for the law to be studied by Malaysia’s Attorney General; I also emphasised that actions need to be taken against Jamalul Kiram for his many statements inciting hatred and violence,” dagdag pa ni Dato Sri’ Anifah.
Sinabi pa ni Dato Sri’ Anifah na: “ In his response, Secretary Rosario informed me that the Philippine Government deplores the action of the intruders. He conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of fallen security personnel and Malaysian public. Secretary Rosario guaranteed that the Philippine Government will charge the Sulu group involved in Lahad Datu and Semporna to the fullest extent of the law in the Philippines.” (Mindanao Examiner)
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