As per Law of Succession, to be true and legitimate Sultan of Sulu & Sabah, one must be the son or male heirs of His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I (Sultan 1947-1973). Today, the true and legitimate Sultan is His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I being the last remaining son of HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I.

The proliferation of many fake and self-appointed sultans of Sulu lacking the criteria as per law of succession enumerated above will point to the initiated that these self-appointed sultans are either charlatans or have taken leave of their senses, as there is only one crown and one throne for the Sultan of Sulu and Sabah.

It is completely indescribable and unacceptable that three (3) brothers, i.e. Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin, claimed to be the sultans of Sulu all at the same time.

It is hard to accept or understand how these three (3) brothers can profess to have succeeded each other when not one of them died or abdicated to effect true succession if they were true sultans of Sulu. But you guess it right, they are not sons and male heirs of HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I. These are the true facts on these three (3) brothers.

They are sons of Datu Punjungan but Datu Punjungan was not the Sultan; it was his half-brother HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I. So, Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin cannot become Sultan as they are outside the Royal true line of succession being now represented by H.M. Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I and his four (4) sons.

At best, Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin can only aspire to be datu like their father Datu Punjungan – but not to be Sultan as these three brothers belong to the minor branch of the Kiram family. The major branch of the Kiram Royal family (Royal House of Sulu & Sabah) is represented by HM Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I being the last surviving son of His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I.


THE COMEDY & TRAGEDY OF JAMALUL, ESMAIL & AGHBIMUDDIN:

This is the comedy and tragedy of Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin. Jamalul (who ran for senator in the May 2007 Philippine general elections but lost heavily) usurped the crown and throne and installed himself sultan on the death of His Majesty Sultan Mahakuttah Abdulla Kiram (Sultan 1974-1986), the first son of HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I.

Not contented and could not wait for his eldest brother Jamalul to abdicate or die, Esmail (who also lost heavily in the 1992 Philippine general elections during his candidacy as provincial board member of the Province of Sulu), who claimed to be the raja muda of Jamalul, also installed himself sultan by trying to depose his brother Jamalul.

In other words, Esmail revolted, stabbed his brother Jamalul in the back and staged a coup d’etat against his own brother Jamalul, though no one in the Sultanate of Sulu & Sabah is taking them seriously because the people knew they are usurpers and impostors with no rights to claim the rank and title of Sultan of Sulu & Sabah.

Not to be outdone, Aghbimuddin, the youngest brother who claimed to be raja muda of Esmail, also could not wait for Jamalul and Esmail to die or abdicate, so he also installed himself sultan. Aghbimuddin also staged a revolt and coup d’etat against Jamalul and Esmail. So now, you have three brothers calling each other’s names in public who have the temerity to call themselves sultans of Sulu at the same time.

Another outlandish claim of Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin is that they must be sultan because they were all raja mudas of someone else prior to installing and appointing themselves sultans. Another foolish notion coming from Esmail is the claim that he must be sultan because he was proclaimed by the so-called "ruma bichara."

This is the foolishness, because the ruma bichara whom he claimed proclaimed him was selected and hand-picked by him. Of course, he will be proclaimed by his own ruma bichara. His so-called ruma bichara was not an independent body but created by Esmail so they would do his own bidding and instruction.

Another slur that Esmail committed which is conduct unbecoming of him was when he small-mindedly brought the dear departed beloved mother of His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I (HM Sultan Fuad I) into the argument that the mother of Sultan Fuad I was not of royal blood. Esmail must be talking through his hat because any person with intelligence would know that the rank and title of the father are to be inherited by the sons, and in this case the father of His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I was the late Sultan of Sulu & Sabah, His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I (Sultan 1947-1973). Thus, the rank and title of Sultan was lawfully inherited by His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdulla Kiram I, and no one else.

Following the comment of Esmail it would prove, therefore, that Jamalul, Esmail & Aghbimuddin failed in their own test as their grandmother (mother of their father Datu Punjungan) Mora Napsa was a commoner and their mother was not of royal blood but a lower class of a salip.

This is an insult to the intelligence of people if these three brothers will think that their claims and masquerade as sultan would be believed by anyone in his or her right mind. Only a fool or insane person will accept the claims of Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin that they are sultans of Sulu at the same time. This is an absurd episode that is not only so comical and tragic that people find these three brothers a laughing stock and a focus of contempt and center of derision and ridicule.

Today, Jamalul calls Esmail a usurper while Esmail savages his brother Jamalul with accusations of an impostor sultan and that Esmail is the sultan and tries to belittle his brother Jamalul, and Jamalul does the same by calling Esmail a false sultan in every opportunity. Aghbimuddin calls Jamalul and Esmail usurpers and fake sultans and that he is the true sultan from his domicile in Tawi-Tawi. Imagine three brothers descending to the lowest of the low by trying to outdo each other. What happened to the meaning of true family and true brotherhood?

How can Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin even contemplate to call themselves sultan of Sulu & Sabah at the same time when they have no respect for their own brothers who are their own flesh and blood? How can one expect Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin to respect the rights of others when they do not respect one another as brothers?

Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin cannot be trusted to do the right thing to others when they do not do the right thing to their own brothers.

The position of the Sultan of Sulu & Sabah is sacred as the head of state and head of religion, and the Sultan must be beyond reproach. Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin stab each other in the back so how can the people expect them to behave to protect people’s welfare when these three brothers are only after their own vested interest?

With the Svengali and Machiavelian-like attitude of Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin against each other no matter their motivations and protestations, they are not fitted to aspire for the rank and title of Sultan of Sulu & Sabah.


BAHANG, THE SON OF ESMAIL, APPREHENDED IN BRUNEI:

This is eye-witness account of Pengiran Abdul Aziz Bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman Bin Pengiran Haji Tajuddin and his wife Dayang Alona Amik Amilusin: In 2005, Bahang, son of Esmail, coming from Sulu to Kota Kinabalu, arrived backdoor by boat into Labuan then to Bandar Seri Begawan. Bahang was not allowed to set foot in Brunei by the customs and special branch officers as he was strip-searched and found the letter of Esmail claiming to be sultan of Sulu asking the Brunei Royal family to recognize him and to recover Sabah. Finding the telephone number of Pengiran Abdul Aziz, he and his wife were called and interrogated regarding Bahang’s arrival as well as the letter impersonating the Sultan of Sulu. Pengiran Abdul Aziz and his wife pleaded for clemency and as a result, Bahang was allowed to leave Brunei on strict instructions from the customs and special branch officers that Bahang must not return to Brunei because if he returns he would be imprisoned in Brunei.


THE COMEDY OF KUDAR & RODINOOD:

The episode of Jamalul, Esmail and Aghbimuddin is exactly the same story of another two brothers, Kudar and Rodinood who also try to outdo each other. Kudar and Rodinood also usurped the title of Sultan of Sulu & Sabah. These two brothers are commoners. Their surname is not Kiram. Their grandfather was the horse-stable attendant of HM Sultan Jamalul Kiram II. Their father was Julaspi Hadjirul, also a commoner. How could anyone in his or her right mind would believe that Kudar and Rodinood could be Sultan of Sulu & Sabah at the same time?


KUDAR AND RODINOOD, IMPRISONED IN AUSTRALIA:

In May 1996, Kudar and Rodinood were imprisoned in Australia for impersonating the rank and title of Sultan of Sulu & Sabah and for falsely claiming the assets of the late Sultan of Sulu & Sabah in an Australian bank.


JAMALUL, ESMAIL & AGHBIMUDDIN, AS WELL AS KUDAR & RODINOOD ARE NOT SONS AND MALE HEIRS OF HIS MAJESTY SULTAN MUHAMMAD ESMAIL E. KIRAM I (SULTAN 1947-1976)

The three brothers Jamalul, Esmail & Aghbimuddin and two brothers Kudar and Rodinood are not sons and male heirs of HM Sultan Muhammad Esmail E. Kiram I. Therefore, they are impostors and fake sultans.

These fake sultans have no right to claim the rank and title of Sultan of Sulu and Sabah, and should be disdained and rejected by the public.