President Aquino should be blamed for “mishandling” the issue of the occupation of Sabah by Sulu Sultan Jumalul Kiram III and his followers, which led to a bloody encounter today, according to the multisectoral group Bayan (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in a press conference, has confirmed that three people are dead, two of which are Malaysian policemen. As of posting, the DFA has yet to confirm the claims of the Kiram family that 10 of their followers also died in the encounter.

According to Carol Araullo, Bayan chairperson, “The Aquino administration’s hard position against the Kirams and their followers, certainly contributed to the escalation of the standoff into a violent confrontation with the Malaysian forces. Instead of harassing and threatening the group of Sultan Kiram with prosecution, government could have helped end the impasse peacefully by first recognizing the legitimacy of the claim of the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate and help negotiate with Malaysia on how to find a diplomatic settlement of the standoff.”

Araullo deplored how Aquino treated Kiram as a mere “nuisance” in relation to the ongoing peace negotiations with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). The Bayan chairperson said that this “fueled their sentiment of being neglected for decades by the national government.”

The group had earlier slammed Aquino for its “double standard” in territorial disputes. Bayan pointed out that while Aquino has strongly asserted sovereignty over the Spratlys and Panatag Shoal, it has ignored the country’s claim over Sabah, which the group said that has “even more compelling historical and legal bases.

Bayan said that the president is not really doing its patriotic duty, but rather, only “kowtowing to US superpower interests” in the region.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Rep. and senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño denounced the “utter breach of diplomacy” by the Malaysian government. “Malaysia is practically in control of Sabah. They did not need to resort to military operations. In fact, there is still time and opportunity to exhaust all options to peacefully solve the problem. It is an attack against a civilized world that now settles conflict among nations through peaceful means. They should be held accountable for the deaths of our Filipino Muslim brothers,” he said.

But Casiño also said that the Aquino administration is equally to blame for its hardline position against Kiram. “Paano sila uuwi eh kakasuhan din sila? This position definitely did not solve the issue but worsened it. It may even have emboldened Malaysia to attack them because their own President appears hostile against the Filipino Muslims’ attempt to stake their claim to Sabah,” he said.

He called on the government to revive the claim on Sabah, elevate it to the United Nations, and pursue diplomatic talks with the Malaysian government.