Under the topic, “Ermita’s Sabah memo”, one of our regulars here, Sulbatz, recalled the story of the Maldanas incident which happened on Sept 26, 1985. I tried to google the Maldanas incident but I only found one line in http://www.usssatyr.com/now.htm
I found two items in yahoo.com. One was a 1994 Inquirer article after the Abu Sayyaf first made its existence public in the Ipil massacre. The article stressed the sensitivity of the Maldanas incident. “Ramos warned against issuing statements blaming the Lahad Datu- Maldanas (Siluag) incident on the Malaysian Armed Forces. Without high-level diplomatic talks on the incident, it could have become a full-blown conflict.” (http://www.nisat.org/blackmarket/asia/Southeast_Asia/Philippines/94.07.31-Abu%20Sayyaf%20Weapons%20Capabilities-%20Foreign%20Supporters%20Listed.html)
The other item is a comment in http://timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=9598.0. It said “On Sept 26, 1985, 4 foreign gunboats and 3 helicopters attacked the Maldanas islet in Sibutu islands. Initially, Malaysia was blamed it being suggested the attack was in retaliation for a Moro pirate raid on Lahad Datu in Sabah. The Malaysians protested their innocence and subsequently it was felt that the raid came from Vietnam or China in an attempt to spoil relations between the 2 countries.” ( source : Air Wars and Aircraft, 1990)”
I’m glad that Sulbatz shared with us this inside story from an officer’s first hand account:
Your story about this Sabah memo brought back some memories and recollections. Tawi-tawi and its border with Malaysia are something that we, Marines, are fond of. We happen to be the guardians of this border. I remember our assignments in Taganak Island (Turtle Island) fronting Sandakan, Malaysia where we buy our food supplies because it is very much nearer than the mainland Bongao municipality.
It is just about the same distance as Sangley Point in Cavite and Roxas Blvd. We also get our mails then from Luzon sent thru a P.O. box from friends in Malaysia. We sent letters thru Malaysia and it reached its destination in Manila in one day. If we sent it thru Bongao, Tawi-tawi , it tooks about a month.
I also remember the story about the MALDANAS INCIDENT related to us by one of our senior officers who was then a Lieutenant assigned in Tawi-tawi. Maldanas is an atoll just behind the island of Sitangkai (known as the Venice of the South). Sometime in 1985 or 1986, this island (Maldanas) was attacked by Malaysian forces (Police and Navy). This incident was a result of a bank robbery in Sandakan conducted by our Muslim brothers wherein some Malaysian policemen were killed while in pursuit. The bank robbers were able to get away but the Malaysian police conducted hot pursuit operations together with its Navy. That’s how they found themselves deep in Philippine territory which was Maldanas.
By the way, this incident saw print only for one day because a news blackout was imposed.
The Lieutenant then, who is a Colonel now, happened to be the Company Commander of the most advanced force guarding our territorial border. He saw for himself how the Malaysians entered our territorial waters, his platoon at Taganak Island was surrounded by Malaysian forces and his platoon at Sitangkai heard gunfires at Maldanas. His unit was under the late Gen Asuncion. The instructions given was to prevent any Malysian force to set foot on any ground in Philippine territory.
However, the Malaysian Navy was all over our waters because the two Philippine Navy vessels that were deployed in the area left the night before. Had they been there, surely there could have been an engagement. (Anyway, no Malaysian force was able to land in any island of the Tawi-tawi archipelago….for the comfort of anyone reading this.)
One afternoon sometime in late 1985 or 86, I guess….this Lieutenant was having coffee in one of his Marine detachments in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. He was the Company commander then with his troops deployed in Sanga-Sanga Island to guard that airstrip, in Sitangkai Island, in Bongao municipal proper and in Taganak Island. These deployments are very far from each other. It takes several hours to get from one island to another. Wala pang celfones nun. Military radios lang ang gamit at kadalasan di pa magkarinigan
While having his coffee by the beach, he saw from the horizon a ship resembling that of one of our patrol ships. He thought then that it was our own. A few minutes after, another ship appeared from the horizon resembling that of an LST (Landing Ship Tanked). He thought to himself, walanghiya tong mga Navy natin, iiwanan na naman tayo….because these ships were traversing the route towards Zamboanga. Later on, several ships again appeared from the horizon following the wake of the two. Sabi nung Lieutenent nun…teka, parang hindi na sa atin to, ah. What he did was to call his headquarters to inquire whether our Navy ships which were berthed at Bato-bato naval station was still there. He got a negative reply because the two ships left for Zamboanga the night before. That confirmed his suspicions that the naval convoy infront of him was not ours.
Maldanas island is in Tawi-tawi. It’s a very small island with about 7 to 10 coconut trees. It’s as big as a track oval during low tide and as small as the balls of Esperon during high tide. It is west of Sitangkai Island.
My source told me, when he saw what appears to be a naval convoy coming out of the horizon, he called his headquarters again to inform them. This information was relayed to the late Gen Asuncion (CG, Task Force Tawi-Tawi) who was then in Zamboanga City. What Gen Asuncion did was to call the Lieutenant directly thru radio to inquire. He was shouting in the radio, “Identify masthead, identify masthead!!”. Sabi nung Lieutenant nun sa sarili nya, “Putragis, tulog ako nung itinuro yang lintik na masthead na yan sa NOQC (Naval Officer Qualification Course) naming. But he answered back, “I am sorry sir, I’m not sure what you mean but what I know is that what is front of me now are not our ships.”
While all these were happening, little did the Lieutenant know and neither anyone from the units deployed there, that there was a bank robbery in Sandakan perpetrated by Muslim pirates. However, the platoon in Taganak island was already trying to radio its Company in Sanga-sanga when they noticed a hostile force of Malaysians aboard watercrafts near their vicinity. Sa sama nga ng signal ng radio nun, di nila makontak ang Company nila. It took them from morning till late afternoon ng magkarinigan.
Late in the afternoon, the Lieutenant received a radio call from his unit in Sitangkay, informing him that they heard gunfire in the vicinity and direction of Maldanas Island. Malakas daw yung volume of fire at medyo matagal ang bakbakan. That’s when the Marines in Tawi-Tawi realized that these were not ordinary pirates fighting among each other but that of another bigger force in hot pursuit. Walang barko ang Marines dun, so there is nothing they could do except to wait for any landings in the islands and to protect the airstrip. Then things began to evolve. Nag-scramble na. There were instructions being given not to allow any force to set foot in Philippine soil, defend everything at all cost, etc. The lieutenant called his platoon in Taganak with the same instructions and not to wait for reinforcements as there is none coming during that time. Basta walang makakalanding kahit maubos pa tayo. That was the sentiment and psyche then.
It must be noted that the Sulu/Tawi-Tawi archipelago comprise about 1/3 of the whole Philippine archipelago of 7,000 islands. Eh yung Marines dun isang Battalion lang of about 400. Kahit ilagay mo pa sila isa sa bawat isla, kulang pa rin.
Then it was a night of waiting, monitoring and info gathering. Little did the Marines know, the diplomatic community and the Philippine government were burning all diplomatic lines the whole night. It was only in the morning of the following day that the real story regarding the incident began to clear up.
While all these things were happening, somewhere in Zamboanga City, our F5 jet fighters began to arrive from its base in Palawan. Nag-scramble din pala sila. However, residents in Zamboanga City staged a rally kasi nagulat sila kung bakit may mga jet fighters na sa Air base. They were shouting “militarization”. Hindi rin kasi nila alam na may nangyayari na sa Tawi-Tawi.
You could just imagine…a foreign naval force was just about a few hours away from our biggest naval base in the south which is located in Zamboanga City. That’s a very precarious situation had it developed into an armed conflict. On hindsight, sabi nga nung Liuetenant ., “kung nagkataon na hindi umalis yung dalawang barko natin the night before, sigurado magkakaroon ng naval engagement kasi nga icha-challenge nya talaga ang any intrusion ng foreign vessels, more so kung ito ay armed and hostile.
When things began to clear, what happened pala was that a group of Muslim pirates robbed a bank in Sandakan. During their escape, they were able to kill some Malaysian policemen. Sa galit ng Malaysians, nag-hot pursuit sila hanggang Maldanas island where the bank robbers made an initial stop. Nagkabakbakan dun at talagang pinaulanan ng bala ng Malaysians yung mga bank robbers hanggang sa yung iilang puno ng niyog dun eh naputol ata lahat. But the robbers were able to escape unscathed towards Zamboanga City.
In the course of the hot pursuit, that’s where the Malaysians found themselves in the vicinity of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and that’s where the Lieutenant saw them. Some of the Malaysian Maritime police where in the vicinity of Taganak island where the platoon deployed there saw them too.
The following day, or a day after the incident, the US ambassador and some other Caucasian-looking dignitaries and some Asian-looking ones arrived at Sanga-Sanga airport together with Philippine government officials and top-ranked military brass. They conducted an ocular inspection of Maldanas island using helicopters and they saw for themselves the devastation done to some 7 or 8 coconut trees (hehehehe) which could only happen if the Malaysians used heavy weapons.
Sabi nung Lieutenant , pinatawag daw sya ng CO nya at ng mag-report sya, andun yung mga Caucasian and Asian-looking personalities. He was asked daw what his initial report was? Ang tawag dun eh Spot Report. The Lieutenant said that what he saw and what his troops saw and heard were Malaysian in origin. That’s what he put in the report. However, he was ordered to change the report that instead of putting “foreign vessels, probably Malaysian”, he should instead state in the report that it was the US SEVENTH FLEET” that passed by.
That became the official version of the incident. But what could not be explained is why the “US 7th Fleet” should be firing at the island of Maldanas. Anyway, during the follow-up operations conducted by another Marine battalion against the bank robbers in Zamboanga City, they were able to recover part of the loot….sacks of RINGGITS.
Later on, the Lieutenant began to understand why he had to report the incident as dictated by his superiors. Kung nagkabakbakan pala ang Pinas at ang Malaysia, involved syempre ang kano at British. May Mutual Defense Treaty tayo sa Kano habang ang Malaysians ay may treaty rin sa British maliban sa ito ay Commonwealth nation ng Britain. Eh di yung Kano at Britain ang nagbakbakan sana. SANA……however, sa MDT natin with the US, involvement ng Kano sa conflict natin would require Congressional approval sa kanila. And only when we are attacked. There is no assurance really na tutulong ang Kano. And it’s a different case when it comes to the Malaysians and the British.
Sulbatz, nakakatawa ka magkuwento.
“Maldanas island is in Tawi-tawi. It’s a very small island with about 7 to 10 coconut trees. It’s as big as a track oval during low tide and as small as the balls of Esperon during high tide. ”
Hahahahaha.
What happened to the ringgits found?
Wala ring balls si Fidel sa Sabah issue.
It’s good we have Ellenville, lumalabas ang dapat malaman ng mga tao na itinatago dahil sa karuwagan ng ating mga pinuno, peke at tunay.
I wish more of Sulbatz will share us what they personally know about incidents happening ‘out there’.
Sulbatz and the likes of you,
Thanks very much for having those ‘fighting balls’ especially during this messy period and time of decadence brought about by Gloria Arroyo, the most corrupt (fake) leader in the history of the country.
Basta buhay pa kayo (read: the likes of Trillanes and the Men of Honor), buhay pa rin kami.
Thanks for the SERVICE for our only one Pilipinas!
Test muna.
SULBATZ,
I cant hold my silence anymore. Bwahahahaha. Pinasabog mo na. Pero kulang pa ang kwento mo. Sagot ko na ang Tanduay at sigarilyo.
Sitangkay-Sibuto-Maldanas complex were MNLF controlled areas. During the incident, what actions were undertaken by the MNLF led by Commander Jundael??? Tiyak alam nung Company Commander ni Gen Asuncion. Konti lang alam ko pero i-share ko sayo. Maraming alam sa incident ang incumbent Governor doon sa area.
Siguro di nagkagulo sa mindanao kung yun ang laman ng MOA-AD. Hi hi hi
The Unspeakable Truth of 9/11
by P.A. Buchanan – September 11, 2008
or the ‘dots’ you are not supposed to connect…
The following is a compilation from mainstream media reports and other investigative research available on the web. (see also Paul Thompson, The Terror Timeline, 2004) Most of it never again repeated, clues, ‘dots’ never connected:
” (www.muckrakerreport.com/id387.html)
– On 9/11 at least two Israel-based employees of the instant messaging service Odigo received warnings of an imminent attack in New York City more than two hours before the first plane hit the buildings. Odigo had its U.S. headquarters two blocks from the WTC. The Odigo employees, however, did not pass the warning on to the authorities in New York City. (Washington Post, 9/27/01) Odigo, like many Israeli software companies, is based and has its Research and Development center in Herzliya, the small town north of Tel Aviv, which happens to be where the headquarters of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service are located.
” (www.whatreallyhappened.com/sears.html)
. (www.antiwar.com/justin/pf/p-j062402.html)
( http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/entity.jsp?entity=bob_graham)
(www.911truth.org, patriotsquestion911.com, http://www.ae911truth.org)
This is depressing. I think radar was invented during World War II, and radio towers that increase the range of communication were already used at the same time. And there they were, our gallant Marines left to defend the country merely by plain-sight methods (dinadaan pala sa tingin). How easy it would be for any country, not necessarily a superpower, to land a beachead and overcome whatever skinny force we laughably call a battalion/navy defending the land. If only it were not true, it would be funny.
Can anyone tell stories to sans of prose and poetry direct to the point and concise. I read the blog, I know it can be concised. Why all the flowers andd trees … just give us the skinny. I don’t have the time to read a pseudo-novel.
bitchevil, don’t worry about some conspiracy theory. Extremely intelligent Supreme Court has been tapped to get over this conspiracy.
Here’s Bush’s press release:
.S. State Department and NSA are in talks with the Philippine government administration chaired by Ayala to look into the conspiracy of 9/11, Reuters has learned.
Condolezza Rice was awed that the alleged bombing in Glorieta in Metro Manila, Philippines will be decided by the Supreme Court instead by experts from fields of science.
Contrary to the findings of scientists and experts, Ayala rebuked their findings. To pacify the administration of Ayala the alleged bombing will be decided in court of law not in science.
Condolezza Rice find the turn of events of Glorietta alleged bombing bizarrely intelligent twist of facts. American President Bush has approved the outsourcing of 9/11 fact-finding to the Philippines to settle once and for all the Twin Towers conspiracy.
Though there were critics that Ayala is no bomb expert, Ayala took a page from American politics where Pres. Bush was decided by the Supreme Court not by the people.
U.S. government and Philippine government are in tight collaboration to look into 9/11 as well as Glorieta bombing which was already decided by Ayala that it was a bomb.
Any decision by the Philippine Supreme Court contrary to Ayalas expert analysis will be shot in Luneta. Any Philippine journalist that publishes articles contrary to the view of Ayala will be shot. No Exception.
End-of-Game
Why O why the coin-operated pekeng-periodistas so silent???? Huh?????? Huh???????
Because coin-operated pekeng-periodistas totally believe that readers of their pekeng-periodikos will ever fail to connect the dots and watch the big picture…
Imagine this, out of 92,000,000 Filipinos newspaper circulation is only less than 1,000,000. And these readers and buyers of pekeng-periodiko are not consistent daily readers. They rely mostly thru word of mouth, Gossips.
The coin-operated pekeng-periodistas takes advantage of this … We’re just fooled by coin-operated pekeng-periodistas
Thanks to Sulbatz who shared his first account on the Maldanas story. The prose and poetry make the story more interesting!
Renato Pacifico,
Thanks for your “constructive” comment. Hayaan mo, next time na magkwento ako direct to the point. Pasensya na rin sa “prose”, medyo ginanahan lang kasi ako sa kwento. Maybe, I could learn from you…the way you write. Pasensya na rin sa Taglish ko. Medyo di ko maabot yung style mo.
Anyway, at least you were not able to dispute the facts of the story kaya sa prose ka na lang nag-dwell. Hehehehe
Zardux,
Mas marami ka yatang alam kaysa akin. The people you mentioned might be able to remember those incidents. Tama si Ate Ellen, mahirap hanapin ang record ng story na ito because there is a conscious effort to hide it. But if you will notice, this incident might have a bearing to what we are seeing now in Central Mindanao and in the former rebellion of the MNLF. The paarticipation of the same key players in the MOA-AD was very apparent in the Maldanas incident.
Renato,
If you want to be free from the confines of your own ignorance, I suggest you read my blog entry on the Ayala bombing incident. You don’t know what you are talking about. This is your chance.
Educate yourself.
According to Pacifico, baka puro “gossips” lang tayo. That’s his opinion anyway. Maganda rin kasi yung naikukwento natin what transpired in the past in order for us to be able to have an informed view of the present. And what better way to get the facts right than from the horse’s mouth itself, if not from witnesses and those who went thru the experience.
But I want to challenge Renato Pacifico…issue for issue and fact for fact. Of course, this should be done under an atmosphere sans the hatred for Filipinos, as what Pacifico is wont to do.
Pacifico, if you hate us Filipinos so much, then you must hate your mother more for not cavorting with foreigners so that you would have had the caucasian color and matangos na ilong that you long for.
TonGuE-tWisTeD, I was wondering how long you can withstand the taunts of the loose cannon.
This Fuckcifico is a Filipino hater. Like coel, he keeps on asking for proofs when the proofs existed since the very beginning in our Philippine history. I now suspect that these guys are here to confuse and distract us bloggers.
Sulbatz and Zardux: Thanks for your stories..when it comes to Phil. history, I admit limited ang education ko but I can certainly learn, Pacifico…
..Ang una kong basa sa title ng article na ito ay Maldita’s incident and all about Gloria’s fiasco on the MOA..but the stories of Sulbatz and Zardux are a lot interesting and I am learning a lot and being educated, Pacifico..Fiipino ako, Bisaya pa!
Time out muna. There is a string quartet in DC, the members of which are: one noypi, one apparently Chinese lady, and two white boys. They played a chamber music version of Maalaala Mo Kaya by Levi Celerio. I hope they get to play Usahay or Matud Nila some time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yf7UoyZ9Z8
Atty, that was refreshing and awesome!
Glad you liked it PSB. People are getting hett up due to the pacifying presence of Pacifico, so I thought a little diversion was in order.
By the way, you may want to compare and contrast the chamber music version with the jazz piano version of Ed Dayao from Canada, located here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QECd0q6adW8
If you search for “Ed Dayao” on youtube, you will get other kundimans, including Ikaw Ay Akin, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-Ibig, etc.
Now back to the flaming.
Sabi ni Sulbatz, Filipino soldiers will defend Philippine soil even with itak. Talaga ba? Sa tingin ko mukhang maghuhukay ng lungga at hindi na lalabas doon hangga’t hindi umalis ang kalaban. Baka labas lang ang tumbong! Suicide na iyong magtatapang-tapangan. Magkaroon ka ba naman ng mga hepe ng military na labas din ang mga tumbong! Yuck!
Under Gloria Dorobo, kawawa talaga ang mga pilipinong sundalo. Sinasanay pa ngang maging mga traydor at idinadaan na lang sa puro lagay. Hindi pa nga nag-uumpisa ang laban baka nakataas na ang mga puting panyo! 🙁
Atty, thank you for the You Tube link. Fantastic.
For the past 18 hours, I’ve been waiting for Pacifico to take up my challenge. Nawala na ata sya. Anyway, the Maldanas Incident is only the first part of 7 series. It will culminate in the 2004 elections and he MOA-AD as an added bonus. Pacifico, I already know who you are. C’mon, take up my challenge. I will mention names here. All the things I will say here will be verifiable facts.
I learned awhile ago that the dogs of Glorai Esperon are trying to get my identity. Pakensyet, don’t waste too much time and effort…plus money. You won’t get me. I will introduce myself to you when you least know it.
He has to consult Malacanang first before accepting your challenge, Subaltz.
According to this German article(translated), 53 Filipinos died on this Maldanas incident. It didnt say whether they were soldiers or not. Who else would be there? http://www.zeit.de/1985/52/Ein-Brief-des-Bundeskanzlers
I cut and paste another article I found on the web:
“Ramos warned against issuing statements blaming the Lahad
Datu- Maldanas (Siluag) incident on the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Without high-level diplomatic talks on the incident, it could
have become a full-blown conflict.”
Muntik na talaga pala.
Mr. Sulbatz, what about the Spratly incident? What I know is that the soldiers abandoned the second biggest island because they got tired of sleeping atop the coconut trees. The soldiers couldnt go back to the island because it was already occupied by vietnamese soldiers. Its almost similar to Valdemars story. Whats the real score?
Rose: Pilipino ako, bisaya pa!
*****
Ako naman, Rose, haponesa ako, Ilocano pa! 😛
Me…I’m a Bitch and Evil.
Jake Las Pinas,
That would be one of those that shouldnt get out of the military archives. Nom de guerre Sulbatz for SULU Battalion may have limited research where she went with her husband. She didnt know that the Spratly Island loss would be known by civilians workers (horses mouths) contracted on the Pagasa airfield. Even those on the oil platforms were rigged on the portable radio frequencies of the marines and others. They would listen to renditions of ANAK over the radio sets by marooned boat people.Am still combing the sand on the Maldanas incident. Sometimes, tales are louder than gunfire heard at Sitangkai. Siluag is east of Sitangkai. The navigable waters even for shallow drafts on the west would be already in Malaysian waters. South would be Indonesian waters. Larger commercial vessels sometimes take the deep but narrow Sibuto passage. Sleeping dogs would easily wake up and bark at any vessel passing by.
If you google “Maldanas” now, this article appears. Sulbatz, you have contributed something in the country’s historical documentation.
Sulbatz said
Talaga? Ano ginagawa nila? nagi-interview kung sino ang may laptop?
Jake,it’s good to know that we have another German-speaking member in this blog. There’s someone we can consult if we need translation.
Elvira (whom we haven’t heard from for a long time) also speaks German.
The Maldanas incident happened in 1985, one year before the Edsa Revolution. At that time, everything was in order for the inevitable ouster of Marcos. The US played a major role in that Edsa. My humble analysis is that the US could not afford to see an armed conflict with a foreign country like Malaysia while she was planning for Marcos’ ouster. If it happened, the snap election might be canceled or postponed prolonging Marcos’ stay. The above reason might not be the main reason, but I believe it was part of the reason. The US and anti-Marcos elements were busy planning and orchestrating
Marcos government’s downfall.
Valdemar,
I stand corrected. Nasa East pala yung Maldanas. Na-disorient lang ako kasi my thoughts were on Malaysia. Pag humarap ka kasi dun, ang tendency natin i-equate sa North ang direction. Anyway, tama ka. Nasa East.
But I could describe to you he area by heart because I was assigned there. We used to man checkpoint Alfa and Bravo plus the Tumindao Pier. This pier is in the middle of the sea or the Sibuto channel. Malayo sa Mainland Sitangkai. Magbabanca ka pa para makarating sa mainland. And tawag namin sa mga banca dun “taxi”.
If you are deployed at checkpoint bravo, maririnig mo ang putukan sa Maldanas kasi magkalapit lang yun. At madali marinig ang ingay kung ang pagitan ay tubig o dagat lamang. You can check it out. I can give you more details if you want.
Regarding naman sa Spratly, I was not assigned there but my unit used to be there. I was able to talk to my men then and they know the story…..firsthand.
Spratly could have been my first assignment if not for another officer who talked me out of it because sya pala ang may gusto. Pumayag naman ako and I soon found myself traversing the mountains of Mindanao while he found himself in an exotic island in te Spratlys with a duffel bag full of books to last for six months.