Monday, April 8, 2013

Philippine Government appoints lawyer Sivananthan to represent its nationals

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 8): Philippine Government appoints lawyer Sivananthan to represent its nationals

Senior lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan has been appointed by the Philippine government to represent 15 of its nationals who are facing charges at the Tawau High Court for allegedly waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and involvement in terrorism.

Sivananthan, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the appointment and said Kota Kinabalu-based lawyer James Tsai will be making an application at the High Court for him to be admitted on an ad-hoc basis to represent all the accused. The case has been set for mention on April 12.

Sivananthan, 47, and James Tsai also will represent other Filipinos who are still being detained by police during the Ops Daulat.

Sivananthan was the first Malaysian to be admitted to the list of counsels at the International Criminal Court based at the Hague and he is the vice-president of the International Criminal Bar since 2010 and was re-elected for another two-years recently.

So far, 16 people have been charged in connection with the incursion with the first of eight Filipinos charged on March 20, followed by seven more on April 1.

A police corporal was also charged in the same court on April 1 with intentionally refraining from disclosing information on terrorist acts, under Section 130M of the Penal Code which carries a maximum seven years' jail or a fine or both upon conviction.

According to official figures released by police up to yesterday, a total of 135 were arrested so far under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) and 70 other intruders were killed in shoot-outs with security forces.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=514351

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