MANILA - An adviser to self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III on Wednesday said a "miscommunication" resulted in the serving of subpoenas to the members of the Kiram family in connection with the ongoing stand-off in Sabah.

Pastor "Boy" Saycon said he had already talked to National Bureau of Investigation deputy director for intelligence services Reynaldo Esmeralda for the recall of the subpoenas prior to the arrival of NBI agents at their residence in Maharlika Village, Taguig on Tuesday.

Saycon, secretary-general of Council for Philippine Affairs (COPA), said Esmeralda agreed with him that issuing a subpoena to the Kirams could jeopardize the ongoing talks between Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and the brother of Kiram III, Bantilan Esmail Kiram II, regarding the "disengagement" of royal army troops in Sabah.

"Ang sabi ko kay director Esmeralda, kung susubpoena-hin niyo pa si sultan, kako wag na lang, ipatawag na lang ninyo. Para in the process of trying to reach out, iyung taong isusubpoena, sasama ang loob niyan... Baka mag-huddle up ulit, maputol ang linya ng pag-uusap," Saycon told dzMM.

He revealed that the Kirams were disappointed when NBI agents arrived in Taguig to serve the subpoena.
He then tried to talk to the NBI agents to clarify the recall of the subpoenas with their bosses.

Kiram III's daughter Princess Jacel and the Kirams' spokesman Abraham Idjirani were supposed to appear before the NBI's Technical Investigation Division on Thursday, March 14, at 2 p.m.

Kiram III, his wife Fatima and brother Sultan Bantilan Esmail, meanwhile, were supposed to appear before the NBI Anti-Organized Crime Division on Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m.

Saycon said only Idjirani will appear before the NBI on Thursday following the recall of the subpoenas for the Kirams.

The NBI earlier summoned Saycon to find out if he has any knowledge about the mission of Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram and some 200 followers who are now engaged in a standoff with Malaysian forces.

Saycon appeared at the NBI office Tuesday morning and denied any conspiracy behind the intrusion of the Kiram group in Sabah.

Aside from Saycon, the NBI also sent a similar subpoena to former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and former mediaman Waldy Carbonell.

The NBI is also reportedly set to subpoena Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari in its ongoing probe.

Misuari, however, is not keen on attending, saying he is preoccupied with preparations for the 45th anniversary of the MNLF in Sulu.