Sultan of Sulu: No to PH consular office in Sabah

Sultan of Sulu: No to PH consular office in Sabah

THE Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo reiterated its rejection of proposals made by Malaysians for the Philippine government to open a consular office in Sabah.

Apparently agitated by the reports that the Aquino administration has decided to open a consular office in Sabah, Sultan Esmail Kiram 2nd, the reigning Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, expressed serious concern.

The Sultan’s wazir, not quite his prime minister but his policy adviser, former Gov. Almarin Centi Tillah of Tawi-Tawi, relayed these concerns to The Manila Times’ Publisher-Editor Rene Bas.

“We have every reason to believe that the plan while being denied publicly by Aquino officials, was agreed upon in secret between President Aquino and Prime Minister Najib Razak,” Al Tillah said.

“This is a betrayal not only of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo but also of the Republic of the Philippines. It is against Philippine national interest to virtually abandon the claim to Sabah by opening a consular office there and thereby show the world that the Philippine government accepts Malaysian sovereignty over Sabah,” he added.

In a separate event also on Monday, the Sultanate’s spokesman, Abhraham Idjurani, told Manila Times reporter Ritchie Horario of the Sultanate’s rejection of the plans “of the government to establish a Philippine consular office in Sabah.

Idjurani said saying that this is tantamount to surrendering Philippine sovereignty over Sabah to Malaysia.

“The Sultanate of Sulu is vehemently opposing any move by Malacañang to put up a Consular Office in the disputed territory,” Idjirani said.

The establishment of a consular office in the disputed territory was raised during the recent visit of President Benigno Aquino 3rd in Malaysia.

In case the plan pushes through, Idjirani said, Aquino would be the first Philippine President to start with “a wrong policy to waste a national legacy and as part of the Muslim contribution to nation building.”

“He has forgotten that any effort to diminish this legacy is a betrayal to the Filipino Great Cause,” he added.

He added that Aquino must remind Malaysia that it should adhere to the rule of law embodied in the 1963 Manila Accord.

North Borneo is that part of Sabah that is the sovereign territory of the reigning Sultans of Sulu and North Borneo.

The present Sultan, Esmail Kiram II, as his predecessors did, gladly accepts the fact of his being a Filipino citizen. Therefore, any lands and seas in his realm is part of the Republic of the Philippines.

That Sabah is Philippine territory is affirmed by the transfer by the then reigning Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Muhammad Esmail Kiram I, “of full sovereignty, title and dominion” over Sabah to the Philippines on September 12, 1962. The President of the Philippines then was Diosdado Macapagal.

Legal documents show that Sabah was leased by the Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo to agents of the British North Borneo Company. The UK then handed over the lease to the leaders of Malaya when they, with British support, were forming the Federation of Malaysia.

The Malaysian government maintains that Sabah belongs to it and Sabah is a state of the federation. The Philippines disputes that claim.

During President Aquino’s visit to Malaysia last week, Malaysian media once again played up proposals that the Philippines open a consular office in Sabah.

Problems of Filipino “migrants” in Sabah—Filipino Muslims carrying Philippine passports—have been cited by Malaysians as the reason there should be a consulate.

The way the news reached the Philippines, it seemed as if President Aquino and his administration have agreed to these proposals.

That is not true. President Aquino himself has stated that he did not want the Sabah dispute to be discussed but that Prime Minister Najib Razak did.

The Malaysian PM suggested the establishment of a hotline over the Sabah dispute. The hotline would be between the Philippine and Malaysian security authorities. The Malaysian PM himself told journalists this detail.

http://manilatimes.net/sultan-of-sulu-no-to-ph-consular-office-in-sabah/81648/

PH’s Sabah claim not on Aquino agenda

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US would honour its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines

Manila (AFP) - The United States will "help" the Philippines in the event that China occupies disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US Chief of Naval Operations said Thursday.

Admiral Jonathan Greenert also stressed that the US would honour its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines amid a seething territorial conflict with China over the resource-rich waters.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-39-help-39-philippines-south-china-sea-153118749.html

The Mindanao Factor will haunt President Aquino if...

"Yes, the Mindanao Factor will haunt this president if the pudding cooked by the bilateral chefs does not accommodate the entire country at the banquet. The best leaders are the ones who listen best and who engage the opponent with a strong respect for unvarnished dialogue. Practice truth and fear nothing!"

By Yolanda Ortega Stern
26 January 2013

President Aquino, in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer last week, stated that that he did not think the legendary Nur Misuari, founding Chair of the Moro National Liberation Force (MNLF) was a spent force.

The Inquirer wrote that Mr Aquino remains wary of those who would want to spoil the gains of a peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Inquirer also asked the Chief Executive if there might be people from the MNLF who might be agitated by a peace agreement between government and the MILF. Mr Aquino said: 

“Yes, I am sure. It could be the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters), or it could be some other group. They might be a new group.”

My view:

His Excellency, President Benigno Aquino Jr., must of course be wary not only of Nur Musuari but also of every Filipino Moslem who at some point in their lives walked both sides of war and peace in search of  'self determination.'
  
He must also be wary of Filipino Lumads and Christians who comprise the majority of poor Filipinos without a visible promise of opportunity. We must also all remember, along with the President, that there have been many other Deals reached and signed before he came along, one in particular not yet implemented. And it was not because of 'spoilers'.

Spoilers are but a very small number of people who are aware of ongoing business and want theur voices heard. Ask the lonely fisherman in Sacol: What about the new deal, and he would have no clue. They just live and die by the bullet, the fire, or the poverty they all inherited decade after decade.   

Yes, the Mindanao Factor will haunt this president if the pudding cooked by the bilateral chefs does not accomodate the entire country at the banquet. The best leaders are the ones who listen best and who engage the opponent with a strong respect for unvarnished dialogue. Practice truth and fear Nothing!
  
~~~~O~~~~

Yolanda Ortega Stern is the President at One World Institute, a US registered NGO for health, education, livelihood, disaster relief; Mr Stern has given her permission for the publication of her view on this blog. 

~~~~O~~~~

INQUIRER REPORT: Aquino wary of Misuari, other peace deal spoilers
By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:29 am | Sunday, January 26th, 2014

President Benigno Aquino III said he did not consider Nur Misuari, the fugitive founding chair of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a “spent force,” as he remained wary of those who would want to spoil the gains of a peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“Yes, I am sure. It could be the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters), or it could be some other group. They might be a new group,” the President said when asked in an interview with the Inquirer on Wednesday if there could be people from the MNLF who might be agitated by a peace agreement between government and the MILF.

Government and MILF negotiators completed talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday on the normalization annex, the last document that would complete a peace agreement between the two parties aimed at ending four decades of fighting in central Mindanao.

Asked if he considered Misuari a spent force, the President said in Filipino: “I won’t say that. If you are a terrorist, even if there are only three of you, it’s enough. Even if you’re alone, it’s enough.”

Hunting Misuari

Authorities are hunting Misuari for instigating his followers to take over Zamboanga City in September last year, claiming that the government abrogated the 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF after it proposed to wind down the tripartite review of the organic law facilitated by Indonesia.

The government and the MNLF are reviewing some provisions of the organic law creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).  Mr. Aquino once described the ARMM as a “failed experiment.”

In the Zamboanga siege, Misuari loyalists took hostage more than 200 residents and left a part of the city in ruins.

It was the first urban warfare fought by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the worst security threat faced by Mr. Aquino’s three-year-old administration. As commander in chief, the President personally oversaw the military operations to expel the rebels from Zamboanga.

Lost cause

President Aquino said spoilers would certainly be “alienated” once the people started to feel the gains of a peace agreement.

“We start off with a vast majority who is no longer supportive of your (the spoilers’) clandestine activities … There would be no more safe havens. It would be difficult for the bandit groups. If electricity is disrupted, a bridge is blown up and the produce is not brought to the market … All of this, would they gain sympathy? Probably not, so the majority will tell the others, we are living quiet lives and you don’t want to help us? So the more they would be alienated. The more they would become a lost cause, a weak factor,” Mr. Aquino said.

The President said reports reaching him indicated that other MNLF factions were supportive of the peace initiatives of the government.

To read full report, link here.

Pictures of President Benigno Aquino III and Nur Misuari. AP FILE PHOTOS

13 provinces at the altar of so-called peace: Is it worth dismembering the Republic to placate Kuala Lumpur?

"So we may all be clear: this so-called peace agreement or shared sovereignty rights over 13 provinces in Southern Mindanao with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is what it is - it is not a peace offering to the people of Southern Mindanao but a peace offering to the Barisan Nasional politicos and businessmen of Kuala Lumpur."
By Anne de Bretagne
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
08 January 2014

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process is very upbeat today: "Malacañan is hopeful the normalization annex of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement will be signed this month."

According to the Solar News report, Presidential Communication Secretary Sonny Coloma has announced that 'peace panels from both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are now working on drafts and are also carrying out informal consultations on the annex prior to formal talks next week.'

My thoughts off the cuff:

I still don't understand why the Aquino Govt has deemed it wise to allow Malaysia with whom the Philippines has an outstanding territorial and sovereignty disputes to engineer a peace agreement in Southern Mindanao with a Kuala Lumpur-backed Muslim rebel faction that will entitle the same rebel group to lord it over 13 provinces in Southern Mindanao under the direct influence of Malaysia Federation. Can these people in Malacañan NOT SEE that they are authoring the potential dismemberment of the Republic in favour of Kuala Lumpur?

If they are truly for peace and are pro-Southern Mindanao, PH and its leaders should raise the Sabah claim flag today before another bloodbath occurs over this extremely lopsided deal that they are offering to the Southern Mindanao 'nation' through the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel group. If at all, Mr Aquino and his peace subalterns should instead find an economic and political entente with Putrajaya by proposing an equitable deal involving Sulu rights to Sabah to directly benefit the people of Sulu and the other provinces in their proposed MILF-controlled Bangsamoro region. Mr Aquino and his lieutenants are forgetting that the Southern Mindanao "nation" does not comprise merely of 10,000 MILF rebels but of more than 5 million souls from various cultural, political and religious factions.

It is not just ironic, it is also immensely tragic that PH and leaders have decided that instead of facing Kuala Lumpur over the Sabah issue which, as we all know, has been the cause of all the violence and misery among our people in Southern Mindanao, they choose to placate Kuala Lumpur (which we all know has been at the forefront of all the troubles in Mindanao since 1972) by offering the 13 provinces of Southern Mindanao at the altar of "peace" with Malaysia.

So we may all be clear: this so-called peace agreement or shared sovereignty rights over 13 provinces in Southern Mindanao with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is what it is - it is not a peace offering to the people of Southern Mindanao but a peace offering to the Barisan Nasional politicos and businessmen of Kuala Lumpur.

BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS, is it worth dismembering the Republic to placate Kuala Lumpur over God knows what?

~~~~Õ~~~~

*Map shown was posted in 2012 by Malacañan Palace and can be viewed on PH Govt website with the following title: "Proposed Territory." This is a map highlighting the areas included in the proposed Bangsamoro Autonomous Political Entity." Click on this link to access map. 

Related blog posts:  

• GPH-MILF FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT: Is there a foreign conflict of interest? 
• Understanding the Sabah claim issue: It's all very simple actually: As Law Professor Isagani Cruz says, "President Noynoy faces an insoluble dilemma. If he believes that Sabah is part of the Philippines, he has to defend Sabah because Malaysia is attacking it. If he does not believe that Sabah is part of the Philippines, he opens himself up to impeachment, because Philippine law says that Sabah is part of the Philippines and he is sworn to uphold Philippine law. Talking of a conspiracy does not solve the problem; in fact, it is irrelevant if there is or there is no conspiracy. The dilemma has to do simply with his stand on Sabah itself."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Sulu Sultanate wants to negotiate with Malaysia peacefully over Sabah claim

Sulu Sultanate wants to negotiate with Malaysia peacefully over Sabah claim

January 3, 2014

AFTER its Royal Forces occupied a portion of the disputed Sabah that resulted to a standoff, the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo on Friday expressed willingness to negotiate with the Malaysian government.

Newly installed Sultan Esmail Kiram 2nd has approved the recommendation of the Advisory Council of the Sultanate to push for a peaceful and civilized resolution of the Sabah claim.

“Today, I have approved the recommendation of the Council to resolve the Sabah issue in a civilized and peaceful manner, which recommendation is also sanctioned by the Ulama Council of Mindanao,” Kiram said in a press briefing.

As an initial step, he directed the chairman of the council to form and create a negotiating panel preparatory to the formal negotiation of the territorial dispute between the Sultanate of Sulu and the Federation of Malaysia.

The membership of the panel will be announced by the Sultanate on the next few days.

When asked if a government official will be part of the negotiating panel, the Sultanate said it is no longer necessary since they are claiming a private property and not duly owned by the government.

Kiram also ordered the legal panel of the Sultanate and its international legal experts to prepare the legal groundwork and conduct inventory of legal and historical documents to prove its legal and historical rights over Sabah.

He likewise urged the Philippine government to support the case of the Sultanate to be filed before the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals cognizant of the case.

Kiram said the move is only part of the Sultanate’s “New Year’s resolution to repossess Sabah through peaceful means.”

Sultanate Secretary General Abraham Idjirani said “the entire supporters of the sultanate support the sultan’s desire to reposess Sabah.

He likewise expressed hope that the President Benigno Aquino 3rd will support the sultanate as the “issue involves the interests of the Philippines, the sultanate, and Malaysia.”

More than 200 Royal Security Force (RSF) members headed by Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of the reigning sultan, occupied a portion of Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in Sabah on February 9 last year.

When they were discovered by Sabah authorities, they were asked to withdraw and return to Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao, but they resisted that resulted to a standoff.

A shooting war erupted on March 1, 2013 that led to the launching of an all-out war by the Malaysian Security Forces against the Sultanate’s forces.

The Malaysian government had filed rebellion and terrorism charges against those captured, one of them the son of Sultan, who has denied participation in the standoff.

http://manilatimes.net/sulu-sultanate-wants-to-negotiate-with-malaysia-peacefully-over-sabah-claim/64822/

PUBLIC OFFICIALS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LAW ENFORCERS, NOT LAW BREAKERS

"The video showed that Mayor Binay's aides were armed with armalites and semi-automatics. They were seen cocking their guns as if they were ready for war. Senator Nancy Binay was seen just watching without even attempting to intervene and do the right thing. It only means that she and her brother have the same corrupt, ego/power-tripping mentality."

By Marlene Howe
20 December 2013

Background: Social media is buzzing with criticisms over the extraordinary incident involving Mr Binay Junior, mayor of Makati City and son of Vice-President Jejomar Binay, one of the frontrunners come presidential election 2016, and three security guards of a posh Makati subdivision. Mr Binay, in an amazing display of power had the three guards arrested for refusing his convoy passage through the subdivision. The Inquirer news published a CCTV footage of the incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojFGo9RN5mY.

NO TO THE BINAYS NEXT ELECTION!

Senator Alan Cayetano said that DILG should investigate this incident involving the son of Vice-President Jojo Binay who is also the mayor of the industrial district of Makati. Mayor Junjun Binay wielded his power against the poor security guards and ordered their arrest for doing their job. But obviously, Mayor Binay and his sister, Senator Nancy Binay, don't want to follow the rules because they feel they are above any rule of law.

Mayor Junjun Binay was arrogant and delivered the classic ego/power-tripping phrase, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? He  may be the mayor of Makati but certainly not above the law! Will Mar Roxas, as DILG Secretary do the right thing and take action on this blatant abuse of power? And will President Aquino support this action? This is the time to show your impartiality and do your job of making public officials accountable for their actions. The video and testimonies from the witnesses should be enough to prove the case.


The video showed that Mayor Binay's aides were armed with armalites and semi-automatics. They were seen cocking their guns as if they were ready for war. Senator Nancy Binay was also seen just watching without even attempting to intervene and do the right thing. It only means that she and her brother have the same corrupt, ego/power-tripping mentality..

Their father, the Vice-President also gave a lame excuse for his children's behavior saying that they, his children deserve some courtesy. What courtesy are you talking about, VP Binay? You mean they have to be given a pass not to follow the rules that other high profile and prominent people follow including foreign diplomats? What makes them above everybody else? You are a poor excuse of a father and public servant and you only proved that you have a corrupt mind as well and therefore, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO WORK FOR US! 

In fact, none of you deserve to be in the position of power because you are abusive and corrupt. It's a common knowledge that your children lack the experience to be leaders but because of your money and power they were put in the position of public trust. The Binays only proved to be UNTRUSTWORTHY of public trust. REMEMBER THIS, THE PEOPLE ARE YOUR BOSSES AND YOU ARE THE EMPLOYEES! 

NO TO THE BINAYS NEXT ELECTION! 

~~~O~~~

Below is the incident reported in the Philippine Inquirer so you know what happened:

The general manager of the Dasmariñas Village Association (DVA) on Thursday defended the three guards who barred the convoy of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay from using the gate of the subdivision on Banyan and McKinley Roads on Nov. 30, saying they did nothing wrong.

“The rules apply to everybody,” DVA general manager Mike Bucoy said on Thursday. He said the subdivision did not have a “VIP policy.”

Bucoy was referring to the village policy prohibiting the exit of vehicles from the gate after 10 p.m.

The Inquirer reported on Wednesday that Binay had ordered the arrest of the three security guards after his convoy, which included his sister Sen. Nancy Binay, was prevented from using the gate close to midnight three weeks ago.

The guards insisted that the group could not pass through the gate, citing the village policy. The source interviewed by the Inquirer said the same policy was being followed by high-profile residents.

The 187-hectare Dasmariñas Village is home to the embassies of China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Mexico, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Sri Lanka and Turkey, and the consulates of Oman and Vanuatu.

Prominent politicians and celebrities who reside there include Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, former Sen. Joker Arroyo, former Tarlac Rep. Peping Cojuangco, former Speaker Jose de Venecia and singer Sharon Cuneta.

According to the source and the CCTV footage released by Inquirer.net, Binay called for the police who then arrested the three security guards.

Asked if the guards were reprimanded for what happened, Bucoy said they were alright and were still working at the village.

“Wala namang mali na ginawa iyong mga guards ko (Our guards did nothing wrong),” he said.

This was echoed by Inquirer columnist and television host Solita “Winnie” Collas-Monsod who said: “The guards were correct… And Mayor Binay was obviously wrong. He was taking advantage of his position and trying to be above the law. And anything that goes above the law is wrong.”

Read more here.

Marlene Howe is co-Founder and Administrator of the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum and of the Defenders of Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims community as well as  administrator of this blog. Ms Howe is US based but keeps a home in the Philippines.