Malaysian fighter jets bomb Sabah camp of Sultan's men; Heavy weapon ground attack Launched

(Updated 11:55 A.M. +8GMT) – Malaysian jets bombed targets in Sabah Tuesday morning and hundreds of troops have moved into areas occupied by followers of Jamalul Kiram III, escalating the violence intended to end the three-week standoff between Kiram's men and Malaysian security forces.

"The latest news is that at 10am just now, Malaysian security forces launched a large-scale operation to defeat the intruders in Lahad Datu," said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, quoted by Malaysiakini news site as Razak addressed a rally of ulamas and administrators in Bukit Jalil.

"We started with air strike by jet fighters of Royal Malaysian Air Forces, followed by mortar strike and as I'm speaking, the army and police forces, along with other members (of the security forces) following behind, are taking action to arrest and destroy the group which has breached the nation's sovereignty," Razak said.

The operation to take over an area occupied by about 180 Filipinos, dozens of them armed, began at 7 a.m. (2300 GMT Monday), a spokesman for Malaysian Prime Minister said. The government sent seven army battalions to the area in eastern Sabah state on Monday to reinforce the police.

A report on Malaysia's The Star Online said ""gunshots were heard" and fighter jets were seen early Tuesday circling the Felda Sahabat area in Lahad Datu town where followers of a Sulu sultan have been holed up for three weeks.

"Gunshots were heard and fighter jets were seen circling around the Felda Sahabat area. Four (explosions) were also heard in Kampung Tanduo," the report said.

In Manila, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said the Philippine government tried everything to prevent such incident "but in the end, Kiram's people chose this path."

Carandang added that Foreign Affairs chief Albert del Rosario is still in Kuala Lumpur discussing the crisis with his Malaysian counterpart.

Heavy weapons

The reported resumption of hostilities came a day after Malaysian forces started bringing in heavy weapons to the site of the three-week standoff.

An earlier report on Malaysia's The Star Online said the Malaysian security forces rolled the heavy equipment to a remote area of the Felda Sahabat plantation in Lahad Datu, and are "poised to attack anytime."

It said the heavy artillery included six military armored personnel carriers (APCs), which were ferried on transporter trucks in Cendawasih town en route to Kampung Tanduo Monday afternoon.

"We are working with the Armed Forces to protect Sabah ... We have to move in a well-planned way," Police Inspector-General Tan Sri Ismail Omar said.

He added police and military officers were finalizing their tactical plans, saying police under him and the military under Armed Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin are in close coordination.

Ismail also said military personnel are helping police force hunt a group of armed men believed to be followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, spotted at two villages in Kunak last Saturday.

Also, he said police are sharing information with other government agencies to resolve the standoff.

Lahad Datu was the site of a bloody clash between Kiram's followers and Malaysian security forces last Friday. At least 12 Filipinos and two Malaysian commandos were killed in the March 1 encounter when Malaysian security forces tried to tighten a cordon around the armed group.

Following Friday's encounter, another clash occurred Saturday in Semporna, killing six Malaysian policemen and at least six Filipinos, raising concerns the violence was spreading.

Malaysia has pronounced an all-out military solution against followers of Jamalul Kiram III who have defied President Benigno Aquino III's call for them to surrender without conditions.

"After the first attack, I have asserted that the intruders must surrender and if they refuse the authorities of this country will take action," Najib said in a statement.

"The government has to take the right action in order to preserve the pride and sovereignty of this country."

The group, which arrived by boat about three weeks ago, say they are descendants of the sultanate of Sulu in the southern Philippines, which ruled parts of northern Borneo for centuries. They are demanding recognition and an increased payment from Malaysia for their claim as the rightful owners of Sabah.

Malaysia has refused their demands and along with the Philippine government had urged the group to return home.

The violence has sparked a political crisis ahead of elections for both the Philippine and Malaysian governments and raised concerns of instability in resource-rich Sabah state.

Added battalions

The Star Online report quoted Defense Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying five more battalions had been sent to Sabah, aside from the two announced earlier.

One battalion each was sent to Sandakan and Tawau, while five were deployed to Lahad Datu. But Zulkifeli said this was more a confidence booster.

Coast Guard, Navy in Palawan join watch vs Kiram followers

In the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Navy in Palawan kept watch against possible moves by Kiram's followers to sneak to Sabah.

Naval Forces West head Commodore Joseph Peña and Coast Guard Palawan head Commodore Efren Evangelista are coordinating their watch, radio dzBB's Palawan affiliate James Viernes reported Tuesday.

Sultan leaves hospital for dialysis

Meanwhile, Sultan Kiram and wife Cecilia Fatima left their Taguig City residence early Tuesday for the sultan's dialysis at a Parañaque City hospital, radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported.

The report said the sultan, who undergoes dialysis twice a week, was expected to return home by noon. — (http://bit.ly/WJ7fOI )

With a report from RFTBP/ Reuters/KG/RSJ/HS, GMA News 

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China Naval Fleet Haixun 21, 31, 166 Arriving West Philippines Sea; Warship BRP Alcaraz again delayed

Philippine Warship BRP Ramon Alcaraz

Despite the Philippines' repeated protests and condemnation of China's incursions into the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), a fleet of Chinese surveillance ships has again sailed into the contested waters on "regular patrol missions," Chinese state media reported.

The Maritime Safety Administration of Hainan said the fleet composed of the Haixun 21, the Haixun 31 and the Haixun 166 left the province's Sanya port for patrols in the disputed waters, according to a report in China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

"The missions will strengthen china's maritime law enforcement capacity and test the patrol team's rapid response abilities in the disputed Sea," the report said.

The patrols "will monitor maritime traffic safety, investigate maritime accidents, detect pollution, and carry out search and rescue work," it added.

The patrol is China's second known ship deployment in the West Philippine Sea. It previously dispatched two ships from the city of Guangzhou in southern China.

China earlier announced fishery patrols in the West Philippine Sea, prompting "strong objection" from the Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs did not immediately issue any statement on Saturday but it had many times in the past condemned similar Chinese patrols as violations of the Philippines' established maritime borders.

The Philippine government in January went to a United Nations (UN) arbitral panel to put a stop to China's incursions in the West Philippine Sea. The legal action also seeks to invalidate China's nine-dash line claim, which places almost all of the West Philippine Sea islands within Chinese territory.

China has refused to participate in the compulsory process, a decision that could boost the Philippines' case before the ad hoc tribunal, says a world expert on international law.

"If China does not participate, it will not be able to submit evidence and make legal arguments. So it's really strengthening the Philippines' chances at the tribunal," said Tom Ginsburg, a professor of international law at the University of Chicago.

He conceded, however, that while any UN tribunal decision on the case would be binding, China's compliance would be another matter.

2^nd PHL Warship Again delayed for more sophisticated Trainings for Mk38 Mod 2

The arrival of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the second warship acquired by the Philippines from the United States, has been moved to August due to the need to conduct more training for its crew.

Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said yesterday that the training of Filipino sailors and the refurbishment of the vessel are still ongoing.

"Their trainings are extensive, training in terms of equipment and shipboard evolution. The travel time takes about two months so it will arrive in August," Fabic said in Filipino.

BRP Ramon Alcaraz will have two Mk38 Mod 2 automatic cannon systems and will be among the first ships in the world to be equipped with state-of-the art cannon systems.

The Mk38 Mod 2 is designed to counter high-speed maneuvering surface targets which system would be installed also in almost all US surface ships by 2015.

Defense officials previously said the BRP Alcaraz would arrive in the country by January or February this year. The schedule was pushed back to April, with officials citing the same reason – the need for Navy personnel to undergo training.

Fabic noted that the use of the ship's equipment requires technical knowledge.

"The (pieces of) equipment are sophisticated like those used for navigation, fire control," he said.

RP Alcaraz was acquired from the US Coast Guard, after the acquisition of BRP Gregorio del Pilar in 2011, and was largely used for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement and search and rescue.

The acquisition of the naval assets was intended to enhance the military's maritime defense capability.

Security officials bared plans to fast-track the military's upgrade program amid efforts by China to shore up its presence in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Officials, however, maintain that the upgrade efforts are not directed against any country.

BRP Alcaraz can accommodate up to 180 officers and sailors. The vessel was named after Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a Navy officer who commanded a patrol boat that shot three Japanese aircraft during World War II.

The government spent more than ₱600 million to acquire the ship.

The defense department plans to acquire two more warships within the first quarter.

Among the countries that are ready to provide defense assets are US, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Israel, Croatia and Australia.

With reports from RFTBP, philSTAR, and INQUIRER

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