KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian court on Monday upheld death sentences handed down to nine men from the Philippines in connection with an 2013 incursion into the Malaysian part of Borneo island by Philippine fighters seeking to stake an ancient claim.

The incursion by the fighters from the southern Philippines into Malaysia’s Sabah state sparked a month-long crisis and at least 27 people were killed when Malaysian troops backed by fighter jets eventually subdued the militants.

The conflict disrupted operations in Sabah’s huge palm oil industry and at the time, raised concern that prolonged trouble could dampen investor interest in energy and infrastructure projects in the state.

The nine were among fighters captured.

A five-member Federal Court panel unanimously ruled that the death sentences were the most appropriate, upholding a decision by a lower court to increase the penalty from life sentences, according to the state news agency Bernama.

The court also upheld a lower court’s decision to release 14 other men who had been held in connection with the fighting in the sleepy Lahad Datu district.

The fighters were from a group that has demanded recognition, and an increased payment from Malaysia, for their claim to be the rightful owners of Sabah, which an ancient sultanate leased to British colonialists in the 19th century.

Malaysia dismissed their demands and the Philippine government repeatedly told the group to put down their weapons and go home.

The fighters declared loyalty to the self-proclaimed Sultan of the southern Philippine region of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram, in the Philippines. </s> PUTRAJAYA
• Malaysia's highest court yesterday upheld the death sentence for nine Filipino men charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or the King, during the 2013 assault on Lahad Datu in Sabah.

Chief Justice Raus Sharif said the decision of the five-man panel of the Federal Court was unanimous.

Justice Raus said that they agreed with the Court of Appeal that the death sentence was the most appropriate sentence based on the findings of the facts of the case.

The other judges were Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Ahmad Maarop, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjun, and Justices Ramly Ali and Azahar Mohamed.

The nine men facing the death sentence are:

Basad Manuel is the son of the late Jamalul Kiram, the self-proclaimed sultan of Sulu.

The bloody incursion by some 200 Islamist militants from the southern Philippines in February 2013 was inspired by the supposed sultan's claims of historical dominion over Sabah.

The two-month siege was the most serious security crisis faced by Malaysia in years, involving armed conflict between the militants and the Malaysian armed forces sent to root them out.

The panel yesterday also dismissed the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal of 14 men on the charge of waging war against the King and terrorist-related offences linked to the intrusion from Feb 12 to April 10, 2013.

Justice Raus said they have no reason to decide otherwise and affirmed the decision by the Court of Appeal delivered last June. </s> PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia's highest court on Monday (Jan 15) upheld the death sentence for nine Filipino men charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or the King, during the 2013 assault on Lahad Datu in Sabah.

Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif said the decision of the five-man panel of the Federal Court was unanimous.

Justice Md Raus said that they agreed with the Court of Appeal that the death sentence was the most appropriate sentence based on the findings of the facts of the case.

The other judges were Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Ahmad Maarop, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjun, and Justices Ramly Ali and Azahar Mohamed.

The nine men are Julham Rashid, 70; Virgilio Nemar Patulada @ Mohammad Alam Patulada, 53; Salib Akhmad Emali, 65; Tani Lahad Dahi, 64; Basad Manuel, 42; Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, 54; Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, 46; Al Wazir Osman @ Abdul, 62; and Ismail Yasin, 77.

Basad Manuel is the son of the late Jamalul Kiram, the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu. The bloody incursion by some 200 Islamist militants from the southern Philippines in Feb 2013 was inspired by the supposed sultan's claims of historical dominion over Sabah.

The two-month seige was the most serious security crisis faced by Malaysia in years, involving armed conflict between the militants and the Malaysian armed forces sent to root them out.

The panel on Monday also dismissed the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal of 14 men on the charge of waging war against the King and terrorist-related offences linked to the intrusion from Feb 12 to April 10, 2013.

Justice Md Raus said they have no reason to decide otherwise and affirmed the decision by the Court of Appeal delivered last June. </s> A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a Lebanese man and his wife to death after they were convicted in absentia of killing a Filipina maid in a case that triggered a crisis between the Philippines and the Gulf Arab state, Kuwaiti newspapers reported on Sunday.

A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a Lebanese man and his wife to death after they were convicted in absentia of killing a Filipina maid in a case that triggered a crisis between the Philippines and the Gulf Arab state, Kuwaiti newspapers reported on Sunday.

Couple sentenced to death for murder of maid in Kuwait

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte last month ordered workers in Kuwait to return home over alleged abuse following the discovery of the female worker’s body in the freezer of an abandoned home that belonged to a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife.

Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai said the pair were convicted in absentia of premeditated murder. Al-Qabas, another newspaper, said the criminal court issued its verdict at its first hearing, convicting the pair of “killing the Filipina worker and putting her body in the freezer”. It said the murder was discovered more than a year after it had taken place and that the couple had been sentenced in absentia. Both newspapers reported the death sentence.

The sentences are subject to appeal under Kuwaiti law. Lebanese media reported last month that the worker’s former employer was in custody in connection with the case and that authorities were considering a Kuwaiti request to extradite him.

AFP news agency, quoting a judicial source, reported in February that the woman was being held in her native Syria. Kuwait and the Philippines, eager to end the crisis, signed an agreement last month regulating some working conditions for domestic workers in the Gulf Arab State.

There are more than 250,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, the Philippine Foreign Ministry estimates, with most working as domestic helpers. There are also large numbers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. </s> (CNN) A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a Lebanese man and his wife to death in absentia for the murder of a Filipina maid, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The case of Joanna Demafelis, a 29-year-old maid whose body was found in a freezer earlier this year, prompted a diplomatic crisis between Kuwait and the Philippines, with Manila banning its citizens from working in the Gulf state.

Demafelis' body was discovered in the couple's abandoned apartment more than a year after she went missing. Nader Essam Assaf, a Lebanese national, and his wife Mona Hassoun, who is Syrian, were the subject of an Interpol manhunt.

Kuwaiti newspaper al-Qabas said a criminal court had on April 1 sentenced Assaf and his wife to death by hanging.

The Philippines government said Monday it had been informed of the sentence by a Kuwaiti official and added it had obtained a copy of the court decision.

Assaf has been detained in Lebanon, which is now considering a Kuwaiti extradition request, according to the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs. Hassoun was detained in Syria, according to CNN Philippines

The Kuwait Ministry of Justice did not immediately respond to CNN requests for confirmation.

'Swift action'

Philippines foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Manila noted "the swift action taken by Kuwaiti authorities" in connection with Demafelis' murder.

"This is a very important development in our quest for justice for Joanna," he added.

Jessica, sister of Filipina overseas worker Joanna Demafelis, cries near the casket shortly after its arrival in Manila on February 16.

The discovery of Demafelis' body in February led to a fiery outburst from Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who vowed to "sell his soul to the devil" to bring home workers who were being abused in Kuwait.

After Demafelis' death and other instances of worker abuse, Duterte's government offered free flights home for the 10,900 or so Filipinos who have overstayed their visas, and ordered a ban on the further deployment of workers to Kuwait.

Of more than 250,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, at least 60% are domestic workers who live and work in the homes of their employers for more money than they can earn at home.

Demafelis' family lost contact with her in May 2016, about two years after she arrived in the Middle East, according to CNN Philippines.

They said she never said anything bad about her employers, but had suspicions she was being watched. Demafelis was only able to speak to them three times a year.

During her last phone call, Demafelis said she planned to come home in 2018. But after not hearing from her for a nearly year, Demafelis' family reported her missing, her sister told CNN Philippines.

Investigators tried to find her through the Kuwaiti agency that recruited her, but discovered it had closed down. </s> KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia will reopen an investigation into the murder of a Mongolian model in 2006, media reported on Thursday quoting the country’s police chief, in a case that could spell more trouble for former premier Najib Razak.

Two former police officers, who were serving as members of Najib’s personal security detail at the time of the murder, were sentenced to death for the crime.

Najib, who was defeated in an election last month after nearly a decade in power, has denied knowing the woman, but the question of who ordered the killing has never been answered.

“I can confirm we are reopening investigations,” Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said, adding that a new police report submitted by the model’s father on Wednesday was one reason for the fresh probe into the murder case.

Altantuya Shaariibuu, 28, was killed and blown up with military grade explosives in a forest near Kuala Lumpur.

Her father Setev Shaariibuu on Wednesday met with Malaysia’s new attorney-general Tommy Thomas and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who defeated the scandal-tainted Najib in a stunning election upset last month.

Civil society groups have alleged Altantuya’s murder was linked to her role as an interpreter for Abdul Razak Baginda, a former associate of Najib, in Malaysia’s purchase of two Scorpene-class submarines from French shipbuilding giant DCNS in 2002.

Abdul Razak, who said he had had an affair with Altantuya, was charged with abetment in her murder. He was acquitted in 2008.

One of the officers found guilty of her murder, Sirul Azhar Uma, fled to Australia shortly before his sentence was handed down. Sirul said last month he would cooperate with any new investigation into the murder if he was given a full pardon.

Malaysia is considering revoking his death sentence to facilitate his extradition.

Asked for comment on the new developments on Thursday, a spokesman for Australia’s Attorney-General said it does not comment on extradition requests.

Asked about the Altantuya case in an interview with Reuters this week, Najib said: “I’m on record to have sworn in a mosque in the name of Allah that I had nothing to do with the case.

“I still maintain that I only knew she died 4-5 days after the death...that was the first time I heard about her. There is no evidence to show I ever knew her.”

Mahathir is seeking to lay multiple charges against Najib for his alleged role in looting billions from state-run fund 1MDB and blames him for widespread corruption in the previous government. Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing. </s> Three Filipino soldiers were killed and 17 others wounded in nearly two hours of fighting with about 150 Muslim militants in the south, the military said Sunday.

The Abu Sayyaf gunmen withdrew after the fierce clash on Saturday in the mountains of Patikul town in Sulu province, and are being pursued by government forces, said regional military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan.

An unspecified number of militants were either wounded or killed in the latest flare-up in a monthslong offensive ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte. Tan said the troops were backed by assault aircraft and artillery fire.

The militants were led by Radulan Sahiron, a one-armed commander long wanted by the U.S. and Philippine governments for his alleged role in kidnappings for ransom and other acts. The Abu Sayyaf, an offshoot of a decadeslong Muslim rebellion in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation's south, have survived numerous military offensives, partly thanks to money earned from kidnappings.

In neighboring Malaysia, security forces killed three Abu Sayyaf gunmen and captured two others in a failed kidnapping attempt in Malaysia's Sabah state near the southern Philippines on Thursday. Two other militants were missing after their speedboat was hit by gunfire and sank.

Among those killed was Abraham Hamid, an Abu Sayyaf militant who, the Philippine military said, acted as a spotter in the kidnappings of two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina in the southern Philippines last year. The two Canadians were beheaded and the other two hostages were freed reportedly in exchange for ransom.

Duterte and his Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts have struggled to deal with a wave of attacks by the Abu Sayyaf and allied gunmen who target tugboats and cargo ships in the busy sea waterway. The ransom kidnappings of Malaysian and Indonesian crewmen have continued despite heightened coastal and border security.

Duterte recently said he had agreed to let Malaysian and Indonesian forces cross the sea border while pursuing militants and their victims. More controversially, he said it was OK for the Malaysian and Indonesian forces to bomb the militants along with their captives to ensure the kidnappers would be eradicated. </s> MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine military says three soldiers have been killed and 17 wounded in nearly two hours of fighting against about 150 Muslim militants in the south.

Regional military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan says Abu Sayyaf gunmen withdrew after the fierce clash on Saturday in the mountains of Patikul town in Sulu province, and are being pursued by government forces. He says an unspecified number of militants were either wounded or killed.

Tan said Sunday the militants were led by Radulan Sahiron, a one-armed commander long wanted by the U.S. and Philippine governments for his alleged role in kidnappings for ransom and other acts.

Malaysian forces killed three Abu Sayyaf gunmen and captured two others in a failed kidnapping attempt in Malaysia's Sabah state near the southern Philippines on Thursday. </s> ZAMBOANGA CITY: Security forces were pursuing a large group of Abu Sayyaf rebels in the southern Philippines following a deadly clash that left at least seven people dead in Sulu province.

Officials said four army soldiers and three Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in fierce clashes on Friday in Patikul town. They said that nine other soldiers were injured in the fighting that erupted in the village of Buhanginan.

Troops engaged some 150 rebels under Radulan Sahiron, according to army Major Filemon Tan, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command. He said there could be many casualties on the Abu Sayyaf but soldiers recovered only three bodies.

Tan said the army fired several rounds of 105mm Howitzer on suspected Abu Sayyaf positions in the town.

The fighting lasted over 45 minutes, but it was not immediately known whether the elusive Abu Sayyaf leader was wounded or killed in the fighting. The bodies of the rebels were recovered by soldiers.

“Despite the casualties incurred, the military continues to conduct combat operations against the ASG [Abu Sayyaf] to destroy the bandits, rescue the kidnap victims and deter terror attacks perpetrated by the bandit group in the province of Sulu and possibly in other provinces as well,” Tan said.

The Abu Sayyaf is still holding more than a dozen Malaysian and Indonesian sailors kidnapped in Sabah, Malaysia, including an elderly German boater.
Malaysia upholds death sentences for nine Filipino Tausūgs over 2013 incursion in Sabah by a faction of claimant to the Sultanate of Sulu throne.