KUCHING: Malacañang expressed regret over the loss of lives in the encounter between the Sulu Sultan’s Royal Army and Malaysian forces in Lahad Datu, Sabah, according to ABS-CBN news.
The Palace urged Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to seize a “window of opportunity” that remains to prevent further bloodshed.
The Palace issued the statement following a meeting between President Aquino and concerned officials on the situation in Sabah.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ricky Carandang said that the government is working to resolve the situation peacefully.
“We condole with the families, we regret the loss of life,” Carandang said yesterday.
“A small window still exists to prevent further bloodshed and to end this without anymore loss of life. We are exerting every effort now to use that window to try to contain and prevent anymore violence and we urge the Kiram family to seize this opportunity.”
Carandang declined to specify further.
When asked that the Sultan is being asked again to order his followers to return to the Philippines without any condition, Carandang said, “That would be the best thing that could happen, yes. But there’s a small window that exists. I cannot go into the specifics. We are working to try to make sure that that window is exploited in a way that ends this properly and peacefully and we simply urge the Kirams to seize this opportunity while it remains there.”
Carandang said that there are still followers of the Sultan who remain in Lahad Datu, surrounded by Malaysian forces but said that “there is no fighting” as of this time.