No categorical stand yet from Palace regarding Sabah standoff

(Updated 5:34 p.m.) Malacañang on Tuesday did not make a categorical stand regarding the week-long standoff between Malaysian authorities and the group of Filipinos, some of them armed, claiming part of Malaysia’s Sabah state. At a briefing Tuesday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they would just wait for the outcome of the ongoing discussion between representatives from both countries. “What I can tell you is that discussions are ongoing between the Philippine and Malaysian authorities, as well as the parties involved in the incident. So hintayin po natin ‘yung magiging bunga ‘nung mga pag-uusap na ‘yon,” she said. Some 400 people, including 20 gunmen, have been in a standoff with Malaysian police in Sabah since they crossed over there early this month to reclaim the area as their ancestral territory. Sultan Jamalul Kiram said his followers will not leave Sabah despite being cornered by security forces. Abraham Idjirani, national spokesperson and secretary general of the Sultanate of Sulu, said in a television interview Tuesday that one of the reasons they went to Sabah was their concerns were not reaching the government. Valte refuted Idjirani's allegation that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is being unfair toward their interest and favoring the Malaysian side. “The DFA always acts in line with our national interest and with the protection of our citizens as their utmost priority,” Valte said, adding the peaceful resolution of the standoff is the DFA’s priority. “Nakatutok po ang DFA. Una po ang ginagawa ng DFA ay ang pakikipag-ugnay sa Malaysia at kung papaano magkakaroon ng mapayapang pagtatapos ang insidenteng ito,” Valte said. Valte, however, declined to comment when asked to respond to claims that the Sabah standoff was a consequence of the peace deal between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). — KBK, GMA News