STRUGGLE CONTINUES | Raja Muda 'alive and well'; Kirams disown 'disengagement'

From InterAksyon (Mar 12): STRUGGLE CONTINUES | Raja Muda 'alive and well'; Kirams disown 'disengagement'

Although he has lost more followers to continued assaults by Malaysian security forces, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, who led more than 200 people to Sabah in a bid to press the Sulu sultanate’s claim to the territory, remains “alive and well,” his family said Tuesday.

At the same time, members of the Kiram family denied considering “disengagement” as announced Monday by Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II after talks with Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II, brother of Sulu Sultant Jamalul Kiram III.

Earlier, the sultanate’s spokesman, Abraham Idjirani, said although the Kirams had authorized the dialogue between Esmail and Roxas, it was the Interior secretary who unilaterally mentioned “disengagement” and that the notion had not been discussed by the family.

Briefing media in her home in Maharlika Village, Taguig City on Tuesday, Pangyan Fatima Celia Kiram, Jamalul III’s wife, said the family had never considered disengagement, adding they were aware that the term was likely to be perceived as a willingness on the part of Agbimuddin, the crown prince, and his group to surrender.

She said any decision regarding the disposition of the group in Sabah “will come from Sultan Jamalul and other family members, including Bantilan (Esmail), and those who lost loved ones. We do not want to make it appear this is our decision alone because we want a collective decision.”

In a separate interview, the Sulu sultan’s daughter, Princess Jacel Kiram, said her uncle Agbimuddin has so far confirmed losing 23 members of his group since hostilities broke out on March 1.

During that first skirmish, Agbimuddin confirmed losing 10 dead and four wounded, with 10 others captured.

The princess said they have no idea about the fate of the 10 captured, whom she called “hostages,” since Malaysia has not offered “proof of life.”

She and Idsirani also admitted that Agbimuddin did not know whether his followers could have suffered even more casualties, including former Moro National Liberation Front commander Haji Musa, who Malaysia says has been killed, because they are only “70 percent” regrouped.

"‘Yun ang tinanong ko sa kanya. Sabi ko, (That’s what I asked him. I said, ‘How is Haji Musa?’ Sabi niya, ‘Hindi pa dumadating dito sa’min (He said, ‘Haji Musa hasn’t joined up with us yet).’ Whether dead or not, hindi pa alam (it is not known)," Idjirani recounted his phone conversation with Agbimuddin around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Neither could Idjirani confirm the arrest of a close relative of the Sulu sultan as reported by Malaysian media.

Meanwhile, another brother of Jamalul III, Abdilnasser, said he had talked to Esmail’s son, Abu Bakar, who is in Sabah and is in touch with Agbimuddin, and was told that the crown prince’s stand was, “Tuloy ang struggle (The struggle goes on).”

Abdilnasser said his nephew, in their 7 a.m. phone conversation, relayed what Agbimuddin had said: “Habang nagne-negotiate kayo diyan, eh, pinapapuputukan kami dito, tuloy ang laban (While you are negotiating there, we remain under fire, the fighting goes on).”

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/56923/struggle-continues--raja-muda-alive-and-well-kirams-disown-disengagement