9 Filipinos sentenced to death after waging war against Malaysia’s king

MANILA, Philippines - Nine Filipinos are facing death sentence in Malaysia after the country’s Court of Appeal “affirmed the decision of the High Court” in convicting them for “waging war against the country’s monarch.”

“The court, in a unanimous decision, handed down the death penalty on the 9 Filipinos for waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” wrote Bernama, the national news agency of Malaysia.

9 Filipinos sentenced to death after waging war against Malaysia’s king
PHOTO CREDIT: Benar News
According to a report by Malaysian newspaper star, the nine Filipinos who were involved in the 2013 standoff in Sabah Malaysia are Julham Rashid, 70; Virgilio Nemar Patulada alias Mohammad Alam Patulada, 53; Salib Akhmad Emali, 64; Tani Lahad Dahi, 64; Basad Manuel, 42, a son of the late self-proclaimed Sulu sultan Jamalul Kiram; Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, 54; Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, 46; Al Wazir Osman alias Abdul, 62; and Ismail Yasin, 77.

In the said standoff, some 200 armed Moro rebels from southern Philippines, who called themselves "Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo”, arrived in Lahad Datu in Sabah and faced Malaysian forces. Their move was inspired by a self-proclaimed Filipino sultanate’s claims of historical dominion over Sabah. As a result, at least 70 people died, mostly Moro rebels, over the 6-week ordeal.

In 2015, a Kota Kinabalu High Court sentenced the Filipinos to life imprisonment "waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Section 121 of the Penal Code”. Reports claimed that the Court of Appeal imposed death penalty instead of life imprisonment.

Still, the Court of Appeal’s decision is not yet final as the case will still be heard by the Federal Court of Malaysia “under automatic appeal.”

Previously, Malaysia has already dropped its charges against 10 Filipinos also involved in the 2013 standoff.

The DFA has extended legal assistance and various forms of aid to all the accused.


-- Mini, The Summit Express


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