DFA confirms fighting in Sabah

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Friday there was an exchange of gunfire between Malaysian security forces and supporters of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters that Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario had spoken on the phone with Malaysia’s ambassador to the Philippines, Mohammad Zamri bin Mohammad Kassim, to inquire about the gun battle.

“The official information given by the ambassador was that firing  took place earlier  but no casualties.  And the firing has stopped.  He did not say when the firing began and ended.  We are hoping to get more details on this later,” Hernandez said.

Asked if the gunbattle indicated that the attack of Malaysian forces on the camp of Kiram followers’ was already underway, Hernandez said he did not think so based on the information given by the ambassador that the firing had already stopped.

“He (the ambassador) said there was no more firing so it may mean all movements there have stopped,” Hernandez added.

He said the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia was also verifying reports of casualties in the Kiram camp.

The DFA official appealed to Kiram’s followers to return to their homes in Mindanao voluntarily.