Eight Filipinos charged with waging war against Agong

Police search two men detained at Tanjung Labian, in Lahad Datu, March 6, 2013. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, March 20 ― Eight Filipinos were charged in a Magistrates Court in Lahad Datu today with waging war against the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, after their armed intrusion in Sabah ended in deadly clashes with Malaysian security forces.

The eight men who were arrested by Malaysia were charged under the Penal Code with waging war against the king and for terrorism.

The charges were read to them in the Bajau and Suluk languages at a makeshift court at the district police headquarters in Lahad Datu.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar led the prosecuting team. Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail is also in Lahad Datu to supervise the prosecution.

Dusuki told The Malaysian Insider that the case has now been transferred to the Tawau High Court, where the Filipinos’ pleas will be recorded. The court has yet to fix a hearing date.

The charges come after the February 12 Sulu armed intrusion at Kampung Tanduo, about 135km from Lahad Datu, which was launched as part of self-declared Sulu “sultan” Jamalul Kiram’s attempt to stake a 17th century claim on Sabah.

A total of 107 people have been arrested under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) and another 243 under the Immigration and National Registration Acts.

Agbimuddin Kiram, the younger brother of the Jamalul, had last month led some 200 followers into Lahad Datu on Sabah’s east coast to reclaim the north Borneo state they insist belonged to their clan and was only leased to the British in the late 1800s, although it is internationally regarded to be a part of Malaysia since 1963.

Malaysia had attempted to negotiate a peaceful end to the armed intrusion for three weeks from February 9 but resorted to combat after the Sulu militants refused to leave.

A total of 62 Sulu gunmen have been killed in separate clashes to date while Malaysia has lost eight policemen and two soldiers.

A teenage boy of unknown nationality has also died in the conflict.