Malaysian Appeals Court sentences 9 Filipinos to death

June 8, 2017

Nine Filipinos were sentenced to death by an Appeals Court in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Thursday for being part of a group that entered Sabah and fought with security forces four years ago. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in a statement late Thursday, said the Appeals Court overturned the decision of the Kota Kinabalu High Court imposition of life imprisonment to the nine Filipinos and imposed the greater penalty of death. “The Court of Appeals decision is not yet final. It will be heard by the Federal Court of Malaysia (Supreme Court) under automatic appeal,” the DFA said. “The Philippine government will continue to extend assistance (to the nine Filipinos) as their case progresses,” the DFA added. One of the nine Filipinos given the death sentence was Basad Manuel, the son of the late Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram, news reports said. The Filipinos, mostly supporters of the Sultan of Sulu which claims Sabah, were part of a group that entered Sabah on February 12 2013. Fighting lasted until April 10 where nine members of Malaysian security forces were killed. DMS