Palace to ‘ignore’ Kiram claims his supporters going to Sabah

From GMA News (Apr 20): Palace to ‘ignore’ Kiram claims his supporters going to Sabah

Malacañang on Saturday said it may soon ignore claims from the camp of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III that several groups are joining their ranks and may now be heading for Sabah.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Kiram’s camp had made several claims of “supporters” joining the group, but verification efforts had turned up negative results.

“Tuwing sinusubukan natin tingnan ang katotohanan laging negative sa ating reports," she said on government-run dzRB radio.

She added the Kiram camp’s claims of Moro National Liberation Front fighters joining their ranks had “been a persistent report.”

“Nag-iiba lang sa numero (The only thing that changed is the figures they claim),” she said. Because of that, she said, “hindi na tayo magkukumento roon.”

In February, a group of armed Filipinos led by Kiram’s brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram went to Sabah and engaged Malaysian forces in a three-week standoff.

The standoff ended with deadly clashes March 1 and 2, which in turn led to offensives by Malaysian security forces against Kiram’s followers.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/304765/news/nation/palace-to-ignore-kiram-claims-his-supporters-going-to-sabah