Fresh fighting erupts in Sabah

Armed personnel carriers are transported to the area where the stand-off between Filipino gunmen and Malaysian police took place in Tanduo village, Sabah state's Lahad Datu, Malaysia Monday, March 4, 2013. Malaysia sent hundreds of soldiers to a Borneo state Monday to help neutralize armed Filipino intruders who have killed eight police officers in the country's bloodiest security emergency in years. Nineteen Filipino gunmen have also been slain since Friday in skirmishes that shocked Malaysians unaccustomed to such violence in their country, which borders insurgency-plagued southern provinces in the Philippines and Thailand. - AP

MANILA ,Philippines - Fresh fighting between forces of the Royal Sulu Army and the Malaysian forces  in Lahad Datu, Sabah erupted Monday afternoon.

Princess Jacel Kiram told reporters that she had just finished talking with her uncle, Raja Muda (Crown Prince) Agbimuddin Kiram at about 4:30 p.m. when she received a text message from one of her uncle’s aides saying that fighting had once again erupted.

“It (firefight) was started by the Malaysian police. My uncle was resting,” she said.

Jacel added that  firefight  took place after Agbimuddin took a bath and ate.

“Nakaligo na daw siya at nakahigop ng sabaw, but 20 minutes later, nagkabarilan na naman,” she said.

Meanwhile, Jacel said the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo is still keeping its communication lines open with Malacañang. However, they are not expecting much from the Palace.

“Parang wala na tayong aasahan sa gobyerno. But the majority of the Filipino people is with us,” she said.

“Sana pag hinarap na kami ng presidente ay bukas na ang kanyan isip at puso. 'Di pa rin kami nawawalan ng pag-asa But we are still open for constructive dialog,” she said.

Meanwhile, Abraham Idjirani, the spokesperson of the Sultanate lashed at the president’s statement that the entire Sabah incident was a conspiracy.

“They are speaking with the voice of Malaysia,” he said.

“You can read between the lines. Who is the real conspirator now against the Filipino people?” he added. 

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