Palace pushes unconditional surrender of sultan's men, says Sabah claim not abandoned

From InterAksyon (Mar 2): Palace pushes unconditional surrender of sultan's men, says Sabah claim not abandoned


The Philippine government insisted Saturday it did everything possible, “from Day One,” to avoid Friday’s bloodshed in Sabah, but said the only way it sees the standoff ending is for the unconditional surrender of the over 200 members of the Sulu sultanate’s army in Lahad Datu.

It also remained non-committal to the question of bringing the matter to an international tribunal, though it did not categorically rule out the suggested option to bring Malaysia before the International Court of Justice.

Sought for a reaction on the sultanate’s announcement of the ICJ option, Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras said at a televised press conference in Malacanang, “ Some people are studying the Sabah claim. To say that we have given up the claim is inconsistent with President’s statement that he tasked a group to study the claim.”

For his part, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a televised news briefing "The Philippine government has exerted all efforts for a peaceful resolution...we've done that since day one. We've tried our best...the best thing for them to do is to surrender.”

Moments before, Malacanang issued a statement by President Benigno Aquino Jr., pushing for the unconditional surrender of the sultan's followers still remaining in Lahad Datu after Friday's bloodbath.

PNoy’s call: please convey my message to yield

In a statement delivered by presidential spokesman Lacierda, Mr. Aquino called on to those who have influence and the capacity to reason with the Filipinos in Lahad Datu to convey his message to surrender.

"To those who have influence and the capacity to reason with those in Lahad Datu. I ask you to convey this message, surrender now, without condition," Mr. Aquino said in his statement.

Mr. Aquino noted that since the start of the incident on February 12, the Philippine government has been doing everything possible avoid bloodshed.

He blamed the followers of Kiram for not heeding them: “To our citizens in Lahad Datu, from the very start our objective has been to avoid the loss of lives and the shedding of blood. However, you did not join us in this objective. Because of the path you have taken, what we have been trying to avoid has come to pass.”

"The path that Filipinos chose in Lahad Datu was wrong and the correct thing to do now is to surrender.

Mr. Aquino said, “If you have grievances, the path you chose was wrong. The just, and indeed, the only correct thing for you to do is to surrender,” Mr. Aquino said.

Friday's bloodbath

The shooting early Friday morning in Sabah left a dozen followers of the sultanate dead, along with two Malaysian policemen. Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, quoting his younger brother in Lahad Datu, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, insisted the Malaysian police commandos attacked the Filipinos in Lahad Datu, but the Malaysian authorities said otherwise—the Filipinos fired first.

Lacierda stressed that "no one in this government is anti-Muslim" and surrendering could be the only option left by the Royal Sulu Army.

Lacierda issued the statement as Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the deadline for the Filipinos to leave the village of Tanduo has passed and an all-out action will be taken against them.

Almendras also denied reports that no one from the President's Cabinet met with Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to discuss a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

Since the standoff started, Presidential political adviser Ronald Llamas and National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia talked to the sultan's camp, he said.

"That happened. Bakit sinasabi na walang member of the Cabinet who stepped out of their way to talk to them?" Almendras said.

Lacierda said Almendras, who is privy to discussions with the Kirams, can best attest to the exhaustive efforts taken by the Aquino administration prior to the bloodbath.

Almendras said: “I think the solution has always been, per instruction of the President, for a peaceful resolution.” He recalled the train of events and actions by parties concerned: “The crisis began Feb. 12. Malaysia sent a statement to the Philippine government Feb. 13. On Feb. 14, the National Security Cluster called. On Feb. 15, the President called a meeting in Bahay Pangarap.”

Almendras said the remarks by President Aquino that many criticized as being “arrogant” were made a good two weeks after the standoff, by way of illustrating how patiently Manila had handled the crisis.

"There were military, diplomatic, and political interactions at every level,” added Almendras, so “arrogance does not describe” the administration’s handling of the situation.

He said the “most important thing now is, “something happened and we’re trying to save as many lives as we can.”

He also likened the situation to a man who suddenly had an armed intruder in his house. “If that happened to you, how would you react?” he asked reporters.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/56181/palace-pushes-unconditional-surrender-of-sultans-men-says-sabah-claim-not-abandoned