DFA denies Del Rosario terrorist tag on Kiram group in Sabah

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday refuted reports that Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario during a meeting with Malaysian officials on Tuesday labeled as "terrorists" the followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III who are engaged in a deadly standoff with Malaysian authorities in Sabah.

Quoting Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo Malaya, who was present at the meeting between Del Rosario, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, the report is "out of context."

"The secretary did not label the Filipino group as terrorist," Malaya said in a statement issued by the DFA.Del Rosario was dispatched by the Philippine government to Kuala Lumpur on Monday to ask Malaysia to exercise maximum tolerance on the Filipinos regarded by Malaysian government as intruders.

In their meeting, Anifah told Del Rosario that "alleged acts of terrorism" were committed in Semporna town where some members of the Kiram group fled following Malaysian assault in Lahad Datu, where the Filipinos were initially holed up.

As reported by the Malaysian Foreign Minister, "after the police forces were lured into an ambush and killed, their bodies were brutally mutilated and desecrated," the DFA said.

"If indeed these atrocities were committed as reported to him, the Secretary and the Foreign Minister both agreed that these were, at the very least, terroristic acts," the DFA said.

The standoff started when Kiram's followers, along with several armed security escorts and women, sailed to Lahad Datu in Sabah on Feb. 12 to press ownership over the resource-rich territory currently controlled by Malaysia.

The Kirams claim Sabah region belonged to their sultanate. They said their forebears leased the territory to a British company in the 1870's but was illegally annexed by Great Britain which then handed over Sabah to Malaysia when it gained independence from Britain in 1963.

At least two dozen Filipinos have been killed in the encounter but the number is likely to rise after Malaysia on Tuesday launched airstrikes and ground operations against the group, who refused to stand down until Malaysia recognize their claim. (PNA)