Malaysian court sentences 9 Filipinos for standoff

By Roy Ramos

Zamboanga City, Philippines (AA) – An appeals court in Malaysia on Thursday sentenced nine Filipinos and acquitted 13 others over the 2013 Sabah standoff.

"The Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the High Court acquitting 13 Filipinos of various crimes related to treason and terrorism,” according to a statement issued by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as quoted by GMA News. “However, the Court of Appeal also affirmed the decision of the High Court convicting nine Filipinos of the crime of waging war against the king,” the statement added.

The decision is not yet final as it is still yet to be heard by the Federal Court of Malaysia "under automatic appeal," the statement said.

The DFA said it extended legal and other forms of assistance to all the defendants and will continue to do so as the case progresses.

The nine Filipinos were accused of involvement in the standoff in which hundreds of Filipinos from Tawi-Tawi, calling themselves "Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo” arrived in Lahad Datu.

The group was sent by Jamalul Kiram III, one of the claimants to the throne of the Sultanate of Sulu who also claimed historical dominion over Sabah.

Seventy-two people, mostly Filipinos, were killed during the standoff.