Malacañang is closely monitoring the Sabah situation of Malaysia's pursuit operation against Filipino gunmen engaged in a three-week standoff in Sabah.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ramon Carandang claimed that the government has exhausted "everything" to avoid further bloodshed in Sabah but the followers of the Sultan of Sulu who have occupied the territory have refused to surrender.

Carandang was responding to reports that Malaysia has launched massive air strikes to end the siege launched by the sultan's loyalists pressing their claim over Sabah.

"We've done everything we could to prevent this but in the end Kiram's people chose this path," Carandang said.

Carandang said they are monitoring the situation in Sabah through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). He added that Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is now in Kuala Lumpur for a meeting with his counterpart on how to ease the tension in Sabah.

President Aquino, meantime, will stay in the Palace on Tuesday for separate private meetings with the officials from Department of Finance (DOF) and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

Another closed-door meeting with Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras is also scheduled on Tuesday afternoon at the Palace.