Death sentence on 9 Pinoys in Sabah appealed

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Sultanate of Sulu has appealed for a review of the decision of a Malaysian court sentencing nine Filipinos to death over the attack on Lahad Datu in 2013.

Abraham Idjirani, spokesperson and secretary general of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, said it was unfair to tag the nine Filipinos as criminals given the grounds that they claimed four years ago — entitlement and propriety.

“In view of the decision, as Malaysia is a Muslim State, we ask them to review the decision in consonance with the Command of Allah to discern what is right from wrong as today is Holy Month of Ramadan that calls all Muslims to repent and atone for their sins,” Idjirani said.

He said the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo under the leadership of Sultan Phugdalun Kiram II “respects the Malaysian rule of law and its Constitution.”

“They went to Sabah because they believed they are entitled to their inherent propriety rights as recognized by the Great Britain and that recognition was inherited by Malaysia in 1963, which Malaysia cannot deny because it continued to pay the annual rental payment to the Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo,” he said.

Idjirani said Sultan Phugdalun Kiram II was hoping the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would appeal the case before the government of Malaysia.

The DFA on Friday said the Philippine government would continue to extend assistance to the nine Filipinos as their case moved up to the Federal Court under automatic appeal.