KOTA KINABALU: A witness in the trial of 30 people accused of involvement in the Sulu militant intrusion at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, believed that a ‘civilian’ who surrendered during a shootout was actually an intruder.
Insp Shogghirajan Nagendram, 29, who is Company ‘C’ platoon commander 7, of the General Operations Force (GOF) 17th Battalion, said following the intrusion in February last year, he and four personnel were assigned to cordon off the village on March 4.
Around 3.40pm that day, he received information through his communication set that five people, believed to be the intruders, were heading towards his sector.
“Upon receiving the information, I instructed my men to be on high alert. Then I saw through my binoculars, three men in civilian clothing, approaching us at a distance of 100-150 metres.
“One who was a step behind the other two unarmed men, was holding a long barrel firearm.
“The man was pointing his firearm in our direction and I saw his finger on the trigger ready to shoot,” he testified.
Fearing for his team and his life, the platoon commander said he instructed his men to open fire when the trio were about 70-100 metres away.
“One of the unarmed man collapsed to the ground while the man with the firearm fled. The other continued towards us with raised hands, shouting ‘Felda, Felda’,” he said.
The witness identified the man in court as one Virgilio Nemar Patulda alias Mohammad Alam Patulada, in his 50s, who is also among the accused in the case.
Under cross examination, Shogghirajan disagreed with counsel Datuk N Sivananthan that the unarmed men were merely being used as a shield for the armed man.
He maintained that there were no more residents in the village at the time, as he had earlier been informed by his company commander ASP Azman Madusin that the villagers had already been evacuated.
Standing trial are 27 Filipinos and three local residents, some of whom are facing multiple charges. They are accused of being members of a terrorist group or waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, recruiting members for a terrorist group or willfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.
The offences were allegedly committed between Feb 12 and April 10 last year.
The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues today. — Bernama