DFA Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. 蜜桃工作室.NET FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he Philippines has asserted its right to have access to Philippine citizens being held by Malaysian authorities in Sabah as government had no confirmed information of their location and condition, relying only on Malaysian news reports on the arrests.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said Thursday that the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has conveyed to Malaysia the Philippines鈥� reiteration of its request to visit Filipinos detained in Sabah in connection with the fighting between the so-called royal army of the sultan of Sulu and Malaysian forces.
鈥淲e are insisting that we should be allowed access to the people who are in their custody (especially) those who are in charge. This request is based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,鈥� said Hernandez.
鈥淭he Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario has already instructed our Ambassador to get access to the eight Filipinos so that we would be able to find out their personal conditions, their individual details as well as any assistance we can provide to our people,鈥� said Hernandez in a briefing Thursday afternoon.
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations requires every signing country鈥揗alaysia included鈥搕o grant foreign governments access to their detained citizens. Hernandez said the convention was a 鈥渞eciprocal arrangement鈥� among all countries.
Hernandez said the Philippines鈥� request includes access to eight followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III reported to be facing terror charges鈥揳 violation punishable by death. More than 100 others in Malaysian custody face similar charges.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e trying to do now is request access, to confirm news reports regarding the eight being charged by the Malaysian authorities for crimes on terrorism. That鈥檚 part of the task of our Embassy so we鈥檙e able to confirm this news report and get details about report,鈥� said Hernandez.
He said the DFA has yet to independently confirm details and circumstances of their arrest and charges they face, saying information the foreign office so far has is 鈥渂ased on reports that came out from Malaysia.鈥�
鈥淲hat is important is to get details about them, to know exactly what charges are filed against them and legal representations made for them,鈥� said Hernandez.
The Philippines made a similar request earlier this month when Malaysia made the first arrest in connection with the standoff. But Malaysia declined citing the difficult security situation on the ground, Hernandez said.
Asked what course of action the government could take given Malaysia鈥檚 rejection of its initial request, Hernandez said: 鈥淎ll we have to do is insist because that鈥檚 part of our mandate, our obligation to take care of our people and to protect their rights and make sure they are protected.鈥�
Amid the ongoing conflict in Sabah, the DFA is still optimistic that the situation could still be resolved peacefully.
鈥淲e have to be positive about this issue. That has been our call from the beginning- that this issue be resolved peacefully and immediately so that no further loss of lives would happen,鈥� said Hernandez.
He said 鈥渃lose relations鈥� between the Philippines and Malaysia continue despite the Sabah incident and that lines of communication remain open between Philippine officials and their Malaysian counterparts.
鈥淥ur agencies and top officials are in constant communication with their counterparts and we are hoping that we鈥檒l be able to enhance this relationship and overcome any existing challenges we are encountering especially on this issue of the Lahad Datu incident,鈥� said Hernandez.