(Updated 5:54 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III on Monday asked the supposed "backers" of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and his supporters to stop aggravating the situation in Sabah where violence over the weekend has already resulted in more than two dozen deaths.
At a press briefing in Malacañang, Aquino said they are fully aware of the “conspiracy” behind the standoff between Kiram's followers and the Malaysian police, saying Kiram's group could not have staged such a drastic action by themselves.
Aquino did not name the conspirators, but strongly suggested they belonged to the ranks of his political enemies.
“Mulat tayong may mga taong nagkuntsabahan upang humantong tayo sa sitwasyong ito—isang sitwasyong walang agarang solusyon. Ilan po sa kanila ay nakikita natin, habang ang iba naman ay nagkukubli pa rin sa dilim. Hindi po kakayanin ng angkan ni Sultan Jamalul Kiram III na gawing mag-isa ang ganitong uri ng pagkilos,” Aquino said.
At least 180 followers of Kiram have been holed up in Sabah for weeks, surrounded by Malaysian forces, in their effort to advance the Sultanate of Sulu’s claim to the territory located in Borneo Island. The group, led by Kiram's brother Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, has refused to leave until the Malaysian government heeds their demand to re-open talks on unresolved claim of the sultanate on Sabah.
Aquino had earlier said the Kirams do not have enough financial resources to stage the standoff alone.
Without dropping names, Aquino vowed that those behind the actions of Kiram and his followers, as well as critics that “aggravate the situation,” will be held liable by the government.
“Kapansin-pansin din ang nag-iisang linya ng mga kritiko para gatungan ang malubha na ngang sitwasyon. Pinalubha nila ang isyung ito, at ginagawa nila ito habang inilalagay sa peligro ang daan-daang libong Pilipino. Sa mga taong nasa likod nito, ngayon pa lang, sinasabi ko sa inyo: Hindi kayo magtatagumpay. Pananagutin natin ang mga nagkasala sa bansa,” he said.
On the other hand, speaking to the Kirams, Aquino again appealed to them to lay down their arms, stressing that no negotiations will take place until both they and the government are on equal footing.
“Paano ka naman makakaasa ng risonableng usapan kung tinututukan mo ng baril sa mukha ang kabilang panig? Kung gusto mo talagang umusad ang usapan, tanggalin mo muna ang banta sa kaligtasan ng iyong kausap,” Aquino said.
Aquino said he spoke to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak by phone early Saturday morning and asked him to spare the thousands of Filipinos living and working in Sabah.
In the phone call, Najib explained that with the loss of Malaysian lives, a line has been crossed, and with it the possibility of negotiation disappeared.
“Sinabi niya sa atin, tumawid na tayo sa isang linya, at 'di na raw pwedeng negotiation. Galit na galit ang kaniyang mga kabababayan dahil sa pagdanak ng dugo,” Aquino said.
Some 800,000 Filipinos live and work in Sabah have been affected by the standoff, according to Aquino.
Despite statements of the Malaysian Prime Minister that the situation has reached a point of no return, Aquino said Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario will talk to his counterpart in Malaysia to reach a workable solution to the standoff.
“Susubukan pa rin nila na maghanap ng ibang solusyon para makalma nga yun sitwasyon para magkaroon ng katarungan. Para masigurado natin mapataas ‘yung pag-asa na magkaroon ng solusyon na mas mapayapa. Ine-explore lahat ng possibilities,” Aquino said.
Del Rosario flew to Kuala Lumpur on Monday afternoon. — KBK/HS, GMA News
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