Sultan's army defiant, will fight till end for Sabah

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Royal Sulu Army continued to remain defiant and vowed to fight until the end for Sabah, the eastern Malaysian state which they claimed to be part of a sultanate in the southern Philippines.

Abraham Idjirani, spokesman for Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, said in a briefing that the group considers this as their "last stand" in defending the sultanate's claim over Sabah.



Despite statements made by Malaysian police that Kiram's followers had been defeated, Malaysian newspaper The Star quoted police sources saying that the Sulu armed group was "totally routed by Malaysian security forces' overwhelming firepower."

But Idjirani denied such claim and said that the Sultan's brother, Raja Muda, who led a 200-men army currently holed up in Kampong Tanduo in Lahad Datu, is willing to fight to the end.

Raja Muda, who led the group that sailed from Mindanao on Feb. 12 to stake a territorial claim on Sabah, earlier said Malaysian fighter jets dropped bombs on their positions.

He is not certain if there were casualties on their side in the latest attack staged by Malaysian troops.

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"God will help us," he said.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario went to Kuala Lumopur on Monday to discuss with Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Sri' Anifah Aman and Defense Minister Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zamid Hamidi about how to peacefully resolve the Sabah standoff.

In Manila, Foreign Affairs Spokesman Raul Hernandez confirmed reports that Malaysian security forces conducted airstrikes followed by ground operations in Lahad Datu. He said they're still waiting more details on this event including the number of casualties if there are any.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has also prepared two vessels in Zamboanga city for possible dispatch to Sabah to render humanitarian assistance for Filipinos affected by the ongoing hostilities there.

The BRP-Edsa and BRP-Davao del Norte were pre-positioned in Zamboanga City on the order of the Department of Transportation and Communications, according to PCG Spokesman Commander Armando Balilo.

He said the two ships were just waiting orders from the Department of Foreign Affairs to be deployed along the Philippine- Malaysian boarder.

Since the ships' mission will be humanitarian in purpose, Balilo said that the government hopes that the Malaysian authorities will allow them to fetch the Filipinos who want to leave Sabah.

"I think its borderless if we are talking of humanitarian assistance especially that the Philippine government just want to assure the safety of our fellow countrymen living or working in Sabah," Balilo said.