Philippines, insurgents begin pullout talks

After four weeks of bitter exchanges, the Philippine government and the sultanate of Sulu have convened talks on the “disengagement” of the armed followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III from Sabah. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II, brother of Jamalul, met behind closed doors in Roxas’s office in Camp Crame, Quezon City, on Monday.

It was the first official meeting between representatives of the government and the sultanate since a stand-off between Malaysian security forces and an armed group led by Jamalul’s brother Agbimuddin Kiram started in Tanduao village in Lahad Datu town in Sabah on February 12.

The stand-off erupted into violence on March 1, and 61 people – 53 sultanate followers and eight Malaysian policemen – have been killed in skirmishes between the two sides.

Neither Roxas nor Esmail disclosed details of their discussion, but both indicated satisfaction with how the meeting went.

“Let’s just say it’s about disengagement,” Roxas told reporters after the two-hour meeting.

Roxas said the Malaysian government had declared it would not order a halt to the military operations unless Agbimuddin’s fighters laid down their arms. “They [the Kirams] were asking about the process and mechanism. That’s one of their concerns,” Roxas said.

Asked if “disengagement” meant “withdrawal” or “surrender”, Roxas said: “We should not use strong terms in times like this. It would be better for us to just wait for answers as we convey their questions [to the President].”

Esmail said: “We are satisfied with what we have discussed [with Roxas], but we will have to wait for the message of President [Aquino] after Secretary Roxas informs him about our meeting.”

Esmail said his older brother knew about his meeting with Roxas, as he told the sultan about it on Sunday.

Playing down accusations that the administration mishandled the Sabah crisis, Roxas said government emissaries had been talking to the Kirams.

“Any kind of talk is better than no talk. So the talks are continuing,” Roxas said.

The Kirams called a news conference after the meeting.

Esmail defended President Aquino during the news conference, saying the government never abandoned the Kirams.

“I don’t believe President Aquino is not concerned about our situation. [His concern] was evident when he sent emissaries to talk to us,” said Esmail, who was appointed “acting sultan” by elders of the sultanate.

He said the meeting with Roxas showed the Kirams’ willingness to cooperate with the government in ending the violence in Lahad Datu.

Esmail said the Malaysian government had invited him to go to Sabah to talk to Agbimuddin and help in the negotiations for a peaceful resolution.

But Agbimuddin was adamant about staying and pressing the clan’s claim to Sabah. “[He] told me he was firm in his decision to stay in Sabah because it was his [territory],” Esmail said.

A second option presented to the family, he said, was to send an advance party to Malaysia to ensure the safety of the Kirams and Philippine government officials who would go with them.

“A plane was ready for us... But … the Malaysian government … has given no response,” Esmail said. “It’s not our fault [that the negotiations bogged down].”

Esmail said the decision to lay down arms and leave Sabah belonged to Agbimuddin.

“It’s hard to just prod him to come back. He went there on his own,” he said.

Esmail said reports of police abuses against Filipinos in Sabah were nothing new, as Filipinos had been undergoing abuses in the territory long before the stand-off began.

“They have been treating the Filipinos there not as human beings. What they are doing is un-Islamic and are acts of non-believers of Islam,” he said.

There are signs of splits among the Kirams over talking with the government.

While Esmail sounded well-disposed to talks, the sultan’s side of the clan sounded like it distrusted the government.

Idjirani, the sultanate’s secretary general and spokesman, said Jamalul did not order Esmail to see Roxas.

Idjirani confirmed that Esmail would brief Jamalul on his discussions with Roxas.

No fighting was reported on Monday between Malaysian troops and Agbimuddin’s group.