Armed Pinoys in Sabah standoff claim to be descendants of 'Sultan of Sulu'

A group of armed Filipinos engaged in a standoff with Malaysian authorities in Lahad Datu in Sabah have claimed to be descendants of the "Sultan of Sulu." Malaysian police authorities said the Filipinos also distanced themselves from armed militant groups in the Philippines, Malaysia's The Star Online reported. "They have made known their demands while we have told them that they need to leave the country," police Inspector-General Tan Sri Ismail Omar said. He said the Filipinos who landed in Lahad Datu merely declared themselves as followers of "a descendant of the Sultan of Sulu." Ismail said the group merely demanded to be recognized as the "Royal Sulu Sultanate Army" and that the subjects of the Sulu Sultan in Sabah not be deported to the Philippines. But he said negotiations were still ongoing as of late Thursday to get them to return to their country. Malaysian authorities earlier said they are negotiating with the group to avoid bloodshed. — LBG, GMA News