Casiño: Gov't position on Sabah standoff counterproductive

MANILA, Philippines - The position of the Aquino administration not to talk to the Kiram family and the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo until the demand for the Sulu Royal Army to lay down its arms and surrender unconditionally is met, is proving to be counterproductive, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said on Monday.

Casiño met the Kiram family in their Maharlika Village home in Taguig City and expressed his support.

“It is counter-productive for President Aquino not to talk to the Kiram family until they surrender,” said Casiño who is also seeking a Senate seat in the coming May polls as an independent bet.

Casiño added that Aquino should also talk with the Malaysian government and try to defuse the tension in Sabah.

“He should talk with the Malaysians,” Casiño said.

Meanwhile. Abaraham Idjirani, spokesperson for the Sultanate told reporters that contact has been re-established with Raja Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram, the brother of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and leader of the more than 200-strong Royal Sulu Army that has been fighting with Malaysian forces.

Idjirani said the Kiram family was able to contact the Raja Muda at about 7:30 a.m. on Monday as he and his men were having breakfast. Idjirani declined to say where the Raja Muda and his forces are now at in Sabah.

“I told him (Sultan Kiram) that his brother is now with the care of the Malaysian people,” Idjirani said.

Former Bayan Muna party-list representative Satur Ocampo also expressed his support for the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo as he called on the Philippine government to soften its stand and sit down with the Malaysian government and find a peaceful solution to end the ongoing conflict in Sabah between Malaysian forces and the Sultanate’s Royal Army.

“Nananawagan ako sa gobyerno. Hindi nito dapat pinabayaan sa Malaysia. Dapat naging malawak ang pag-unawa ng gobyerno at magtuwid ng kamalian,” Ocampo told reporters at the home of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III at the Maharlika Village in Taguig City.

“Kung hindi magbabago ang position ng Pnoy government ay lalawak ang armadong labanan sa Sabah,” Ocampo added.

Ocampo also lashed at the apparent slow response of the Philippine government to the swiftly developing situation in Sabah where some 200 forces of the Sulu Royal Army are still engaged in fighting with Malaysian authorities.

“Nangyari na ang bloodshed. Dapat nag-react na agad at di sinabing bahala na ang Malaysian authorities. Dapat naging mabilis ang aksyon ng gobyerno. Dapat baguhin ng Philippine government ang position nito at harapin ito ng tahasan,” Ocampo added.