MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Navy and Coast Guard reportedly attacked and killed 35 Sulu militants on Wednesday as the latter attempted to enter the disputed territory of Sabah.
Navy spokesman Colonel Edgardo Arevalo, however, denied the account, saying that Tawi-Tawi naval task force commander is not aware of such an incident.
Malaysian news outfit The Star online reported on Thursday that Malaysian defense minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the armed men were shot in Malaysian waters before they reached the island.
"If they had entered our waters, we would have taken them out. We will defend our country," he said at a press conference in Georgetown, Malaysia.
Zahid also cited intelligence reports stating that the militants from Sulu, an island province in southern Mindanao, wanted to enter Sabah to disrupt the local elections.
In an incursion starting last February, de facto Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III with an armed group--the Royal Army--entered Sabah in hopes to reclaim the territory believed to be historically given to the clan.
The Malaysian government, however, stood its ground and refused to cede the area and instead used force to drive away Kiram's men as well as Filipino migrant workers residing in Sabah.
"Funny"
The sultanate of Sulu also denied The Star Online's report that 35 alleged supporters of the sultanate were shot dead by the Philippine Navy as they allegedly tried to cross from Sulu to Sabah.
The Star Online quoted Malaysian Defense Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that the armed men were shot by Philippine Navy and Coast guard personnel before they could enter Malaysian waters with the reported mission of disrupting the upcoming Malaysian elections.
Zahid cited intelligence reports that the “Sulu militants†were out to terrorize the Malaysian general election on May 5.
But the report was denied by Sulu sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani saying that such an incident would not have escaped the attention of Philippine media.
“That’s funny, really. It seemed they had run out of wild stories. Their past propaganda has not been successful so they are trying to create a story so we Filipinos would fight each other,†Idjirani said.
“I was in Jolo since Thursday last week. If something happens in Jolo, we will certainly know it, and fast,†Idjirani added.
Idjirani also said the 500-strong Royal Security Force of the Sulu sultanate who are now in Lahad Datu in Sabah under the command of Agbimuddin Kiram will not disrupt Malaysia’s elections.
“We’ve been saying that we will not cause any trouble to the Malaysian elections,†Idjirani said. However, he was quick to add that the RSF which is now augmented by some 1,000 volunteers from the Moro National Liberation Front will be “closely monitoring†the elections.
The RSF has been locked in a standoff with Malaysian security forces since they landed in Lahad Datu last February 12.