Binay: Noy on top of Sabah situation

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday assured that President Benigno Aquino III is looking for ways to solve the standoff in Sabah, Malaysia through diplomatic and peaceful means.

"President Aquino is on top of the situation kn Sabah," Binay said, adding that Aquino's priority is to solve the standoff between Malaysian forces and members of the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu in Lahad Datu.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs is exerting all effort and using all diplomatic avenues to arrive at a peaceful resolution of the Sabah controversy," he said.

He also assured that the government is highly considering "national interest" and the "safety of Filipinos" in its effort to resolve the situation in Sabah.

“For this alone, a peaceful resolution is imperative and that is the goal of our President,” he said.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that the government is assessing the claim of Sultan Jamalul Kiram over Sabah.

"We are looking at the validity or legal basis of the claim as well as an assessment of its strength or weakness (of the claim of Sultan Jamalul Kiram) as the case may be," Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima Thursday said.

De Lima said they have started looking at the available materials and literature, including previous studies. She said that Aquino has not imposed a deadline on the legal team to assess Kiram's claim, but assured that "this is a priority assignment."

Reports said that at least 200 members, some of them armed, of the Royal Army of the sultanate of Sulu arrived in Lahad Datu last week.

The Royal Army members have been surrounded by Malaysian authorities in the island.

The Philippine Navy said that it has intensified its patrol operations off the Sulu Sea in connection with the standoff in Sabah.

Navy spokesperson Lt. Commander Gregory Fabic said that six Navy ships and an Islander aircraft have been put on standby for the possible joint patrol operations with Malaysian authorities.

The military is preventing bandits in Mindanao who may be planning to slip into Sabah and create unrest to blow up the situation on the island.