Police allay Kiram camp's fear over alleged kill plot, say security measures in place

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday assured Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and his supporters of ample protection amid an alleged assassination plot involving a so-called Malaysian hit squad against them.

 

Though they have yet to verify the reported assassination plot, PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said police are regularly monitoring Kiram's home in Taguig City since a crisis involving his followers in Sabah erupted.

 

"May police visibility, wala pa naman kaming nakikitang danger," Cerbo told GMA News Online in a phone interview Wednesday.

 

"Wala pa kaming nakukuhang information doon sa [assassination] plot. Titignan namin iyan," he added.

 

Likewise, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos said they also have yet to verify the report. "Wala kaming information," he said.

 

For their part, Metro Manila police spokesperson Chief Inspector Kimberly Gonzales said they maintain high alert and regular patrols near Kiram's house, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported.

 

Aside from the patrols in Maharlika Village in Taguig City, Gonzales said the NCRPO coordinates with the intelligence community to verify threats against the sultan.

 

On Tuesday, sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani claimed a Malaysian colonel and four commandos arrived in the Philippines for a supposed kill plot on Kiram.

 

He asked the National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines to verify the information for themselves.

 

On the other hand, the report said the sultan's camp is eyeing installing closed-circuit television systems at their house, and may ask authorities for security.

 

But the sultan himself insisted he was not afraid of such threats.

 

The sultan's brother, Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, is now in Sabah leading an armed group of the sultan's followers.

 

However, they are now on the run since the firefight started on March 1. — RSJ, GMA News