Two royal army men die in new offensive

From the Manila Standard Today (Mar 20): Two royal army men die in new offensive

Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram is still in Sabah and in constant contact with his brother, Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, as fresh fighting in Sabah left two more members of the sultanate’s army dead.

Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of the sultanate, said Agbimuddin called through his mobile phone at around 10:30 p.m. Monday and told them he and his remaining men have slipped out of the conflict zone.

“He is in good shape despite the massive military offensive by the Malaysian forces,” Idjirani said. Agbimuddin’s call lasted less than a minute as Malaysian forces might be able to trace his location, he added.

“They have constant communication although it is difficult because they are in hiding and transferring places,” he said, referring to the sultan and his brother.

Idjirani said two followers died while shielding Agbimuddin from pursuing soldiers.

Idjirani also denied the statement of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman that Agbimuddin had asked to be fetched from Sabah on March 1 when Malaysian security forces started attacking them.

“If he wanted to go home, he should have informed the sultan, but he said nothing,” he said.

Idjirani said he could not confirm reports that former Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari had sent reinforcements to Sabah to help the royal army.

But he said the sultan had not asked any group to send forces to Sabah because this might escalate the conflict there.

Kiram’s daughter Princess Jacel, said her uncle Agbimuddin has already bid his family goodbye because he does not plan to go back to Tawi-Tawi or Sulu.

The Malaysian state-run news agency Bernama reported clashes on four occasions Tuesday.

Sabah Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said no one was injured in the clashes, which took place between 8.05 a.m. and 5 p.m.

He also said security forces arrested three people in Sandakan on suspicion of having links with the Filipino fighters, raising to 107 the number of people held under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act of 2012.
These people would be charged in court soon, he told a news conference.

Hamza said the security forces were expected to complete their mopping-up exercise and hunt for what is believed to be fewer than 50 “terrorists” in Tanjung Batu.

Also on Tuesday, 38 purported members of the Royal Army of Sulu who were arrested while entering the country from Sabah on March 13 questioned the validity of the Justice Department’s indictment against them in a lower court.

They asked the Tawi-Tawi regional trial court to order the Justice Department to reinvestigate the charges of illegal possession of firearms and violations of the election gun ban.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/03/20/two-royal-army-men-die-in-new-offensive/