Military power will help dissuade our enemies from bullying us and instead, will encourage them to respect us.

Peninsular Malaysia has, in their warship inventory, four Laksamana class missile corvettes (from Italy) armed with anti-ship and anti-air missiles (6 missile launchers per ship) with a range of 120kms. All four corvettes are also armed with 76mm and 40mm guns as well as anti-submarine torpedo systems and possess countermeasures. They have a speed of up to 35 knots.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the money that funded the acquisition of these warships in the 1990s was sourced from the exploited resources of Sabah and Sarawak (but mainly from Sabah petrol.)

Now, in the same corvette league (a teeny weeny bit more than 62 meters), the Philippines has three Peacock class corvettes (from the UK but now renamed the Jacinto class corvettes) commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1983, namely, BRP Apolinario Mabini, BRP Emilio Jacinto, and BRP Artemio Ricarte with a speed of 25 knots. Our Jacinto class corvettes are each armed with one 76mm gun, one 25MM gun, two 20mm cannons and two 50 caliber machine guns.

In a potential classic naval confrontation in Southern Philippine waters, say, in the Celebes Sea between these "similar" class of warships, but not to include the other naval and air assets and other top of the line weapons systems that Malaysia possesses, in my view, there is sadly little chance that our three Jacinto class corvettes will come out victorious. Hence, it is not to our advantage at all to engage in a classic naval battle scenario with the Malaysians today.

Our government must modernize our navy PRONTO. We need a credible navy because we have an immense coastline on top of the fact that our archipelago sits on and is surrounded by incredible masses of water. The problems that we are going to face in the very near future will be sea-based or ocean-based. Witness the problems in the Spratlys, the Scarborough stand-off with China, threats from Malaysia that may span the Sulu Sea, etc.,

The idea of beefing our navy ahead of say the other major service commands does not seek to engage a neighbour in naval warfare but understand that a credible naval power will ultimately imbue the nation with the confidence to force those who wish to bully us in our waters and yonder and attack our sovereignty rights to stop and think before doing it. Furthermore, beefing our navy may just also force Malaysia to stop and sit down with us so that we can finally tackle the thorny Sabah issue.

Our leaders, politicians, military planners, with their sidekicks, the China watchers, Malaysia watchers, i.e., the nation at large, etc. must remember there never is a better time than today when Julius Caesar's doctrine is more appropriate: "Si vis pacem para bellum." (If you want peace, prepare for war).

Note that the same doctrine helped prevent MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) during the Cold War, the most successful warfare ever conducted in the history of mankind when NO BULLET WAS FIRED between NATO and the Warsaw Pact forces.

A nation that is militarily credible is bound to have less enemies and   is likely to stop potential enemies from warring with her, hence, to prepare for war does not necessarily mean to engage in war. On the contrary... Of course, there is never 100 per cent guarantee but military power will help dissuade our enemies from bullying us and instead, will encourage them to respect us.

NB: First photo shows one of Malaysia's KD Laksamana class corvettes; second photo shows the Philippines' Jacinto class corvettes.

NBB: Originally posted on the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

22 June: 50th anniversary of the filing of the Philippine claim to Sabah in the United Nations

Today is the 50th anniversary of the official filing of Philippines' claim to Sabah.

On 22 June 1962 or fifty years ago today, the Philippines, under President Diosdado Macapagal officially filed the Republic's claim to Sabah in the United Nations based on historical and legal sultanate of Sulu ownership right.

Fifty years hence, nothing concrete has been done to raise the issue with Malaysia. Instead, in 2003, the daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal who became 'president' extra-constitutionally opened the gates of Mindanao to the Malaysians by allowing the Malaysians to control the so-called peace talks with the MILF and almost gave a huge chunk of Mindanao. 

Today, the son of the senator who denounced President Marcos plans to invade Sabah in the late 60s and who has become president himself has continued the process -- in Kuala Lumpur to boot leading to a signed agreement under the diktat of Malaysia for the creation of a "new political entity."

Where has national self-respect gone???

Lease documents shown below. You may also click on this link here.

Senator Nene Pimentel: Malaysia as Mindanao "peacekeepers" poses a conflict of interest, i.e., because of Philippine Sabah claim

Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, Jr, who launched the first formal salvo tackling the Philippine Sabah claim in an October 2011 forum at the University of Makati, was the first senator and political leader of the Republic who officially expressed views on the ongoing debacle of the Republic with the Malaysia-backed MILF saying that effectively, Malaysia's incursions in Mindanao as "peacekeepers" pose a conflict of interest, i.e., because of the Philippine Sabah claim. 

During an interview with the Philippine Star in November 2011, he said, 

 “That buffer force is supposed to be led by Malaysia and I think that is the worst choice we can have, to get Malaysia involved as a peacekeeping force on behalf of the OIC, because Malaysia has definite interests that conflict with the interests of the country."

Excerpts, Philstar November 2011 report:.

Conflict of interest

In another development, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. called on the government to consider replacing Malaysia as mediator with the MILF because of some conflicts of interest of the Malaysians. 

Pimentel said that the recent conflicts between the MILF and government troops could have been avoided if the international peacekeeping team led by Malaysia had been more effective in its work in Mindanao. 

He said that the peacekeeping force acting on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is supposed to be the buffer force between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the MILF. 

“That buffer force is supposed to be led by Malaysia and I think that is the worst choice we can have, to get Malaysia involved as a peacekeeping force on behalf of the OIC, because Malaysia has definite interests that conflict with the interests of the country,” Pimentel said. 

He cited the long-standing claims by the Philippines and Malaysia on Sabah as well as a certain marshland in Cotabato. 

Pimentel also noted Malaysia’s identification with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which caused some problems in the past when the rebel group was still waging war on the government. 

“When the MNLF forces were trying to strengthen their group, they were training in Sabah which is jurisdictionally, as of now, under the administration of Malaysia. That is where they trained before,” Pimentel said.

Fifty years ago, Senator Jovito Salonga exhorted the Philippines to move about Sabah. That was fifty years ago. What have succeeding members of the nation's "august" Senate done about it?

Almost fifty years later, ONLY ONE SENATOR had the courage to call a spade a spade and tell the government that they were wrong to choose Malaysia as buffer force in Mindanao via the MILF and that was Senator Nene Pimentel. Has anyone else stood up to be heard or even mutter something intelligible about it? None!!!

• 
  

  
  

  
  

  NB: Shown above is  picture of books authored by Senator Pimentel. To visit the website of Senator Nene Pimentel, please click here.

1878 Sabah lease contract very clear: "...rights and powers hereby leased shall not be transferred..."

By Anne de Bretagne

Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

When the Sabah lease was signed 134 years ago -- on the 22nd of January 1878, between the Sultanate of Sulu & Sabah and two foreign businessmen, the Sultanate ensured that their rights to Sabah ownership were protected with this all encompassing moral and legal clause clearly spelled out in the lease contract, to wit (lease shown, 2nd photo): 

"...but the rights and powers hereby leased shall not be transferred to any nation, or a company of other nationality, without the consent of Their Majesties Government."

The whole Mindanao-Moro problem compounded by Malaysia's continuing support for the MILF right in the heart of Philippine Moro 'homeland' is without a shadow of doubt tied to the Philippine Sabah claim.

The Malaysians know it and the Filipinos know it but Kuala Lumpur will do everything in their power to make sure that the Philippines will not have a moment's respite to turn around and raise the Sabah claim. And the problem is being compounded by the fact that successive Chinese communities in Sabah have staged their own claim over Sabah and over the last couple of decades, they have been at it, trying to muster political support from the population of Sabah to claim "independence" from Malaysia.

As years go and while this problem is unsettled, there will be more problems -- political and military, that are bound to arise and could very well bring the Sabah question to the inevitable: armed conflict which it almost did back in the 60s when the Philippines attempted to take physical control of Sabah in a covert operation code-named "Operation Merdeka."

After 134 years, it is time to examine the contents of the lease and to bring them out in the open. The Republic of the Philippines -- and Malaysia, cannot continue to be blind. Sabah is either the Philippines' or it is not -- only a minitious examination of facts done in absolute good faith can determine final legal and moral ownership.

If the parties to the claim or to the counter claim refuse -- and that includes major counter claimant Malaysia, to adhere to the principle of good faith, I'm afraid, the peace and order problem in Mindano will continue as the rebel forces in Mindanao are encouraged, maintained and funded by the the current occupiers of Sabah. And unless we face this extremely sensitive Sabah question head on, there is every chance that we will be encouraging Malaysia to invade Mindanao by proxy.

How dare Mahathir lecture us on democracy!!!

WE ARE AGHAST! The University of Santo Tomas asked former Malaysia PM Mahathir to lecture us on democracy! 

HAVE FILIPINOS GOT NO PRIDE? HAS THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS LOST ALL MORAL BEARING?

Mahathir ibn Mohamad was Malaysia's 4th prime minister and governed his graft-ridden government for more than 22 years. During those years, Mahathir played a key role in the subversion movements in southern Philippines that have continued to plague our country to this day. He was responsible for supplying financial and logistical aid to the MNLF and to the MILF. The training of Hashim Salamat's MILF forces in Sabah (as well as the MNLF under Nur Misuari) to rebel against the Philippine government stepped up during his reign as prime minister.

It was he who made sure that Sabah became the gold mine for voters to keep UMNO in power. He instituted graft and corruption as a commonplace political tool not only in Peninsular Malaysia but also in Sabah to ensure the survival of UMNO in Malaysia parliament. He exploited the resources of Sabah, and used the spoils of Sabah to work against our own country's democratic institutions and indirectly was responsible for the untold number of deaths in our armed forces resulting from the non-stop fightings between the southern Philippine rebel moro groups and the AFP.

And this is the man who dares to lecture us about democracy? 

The University of Santo Tomas should not have asked him to be their keynote speaker. Why should Filipinos hear about the tenets of democracy from the same man who has made it his lifetime mission ensuring that there is no peace in southern Philippines so that we can not claim Sabah back? Why should Filipinos hear about the tenets of democracy from the same man whose politics ensured that displaced Filipinos in Sabah (which we own) should be treated like dogs? 

Have Filipinos got NO PRIDE???

NB: On this day, the 12th of June which marks our 114th independence anniversary, more than at any time, is the time when we should all reflect on the words of the illustrious Senator Jovito Salonga, father of the Philippine Sabah claim.  

"If, despite the assumed knowledge of the validity and justice of the Philippine claim, we fold our arms in mortal fear, we should lose not merely the respect of all law-abiding nations (the United Kingdom and the Asian countries in particular), but also a considerable measure of self-respect — which, to my mind, is more important — and, by our own inaction and timidity, lose our faith in the ultimate validity of that which is right and just."

*UST photo credit: http://www.educationpinoy.com/university-of-santo-tomas.html **Mahathir photo credit: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=816374&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Fifty years ago, Philippines filed claim to Sabah

PHILIPPINE SABAH CLAIM FORUM DATES AND EVENTS TO REMEMBER IN RELATION TO NATION'S SABAH CLAIM

By Anne de Bretagne
10 June 2012
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

FIFTY YEARS AGO OR ON 22 JUNE 1962 MORE PRECISELY: PHILIPPINES FILED OFFICIAL CLAIM TO SABAH BUT PHILIPPINES FAILED TO OBTAIN SUPPORT FROM ITS FORMER COLONIAL MASTER TURNED MAJOR ALLY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The Malayans (not yet Malaysians) under Tunku Abdul Rahman, on the other hand, not only had the full support of Great Britain, its former overlords and then key ally but it also appeared that they had received blanket approval to annex Sabah from then United Nations Secretary General U Thant (undoubtedly through the largesse and political pressure by then superpower and Malaya colonials Great Britain.)

The question that comes to mind is why did not the United States of America give the Philippines support in its bid to establish its sovereignty rights over Sabah in 1962 or even during the 60s while the claim was clearly a hot item in the United Nations? The United States which was Philippine colonial master and at the time of the claim was filed was the Philippines' great  'benefactor.' The US, was, after al, a superpower in its own right and could have exerted influence on the United Nations and why not on Great Britain, its major ally and friend with whom it has a 'special' relationship? What happened that the United States decided not to intervene on behalf of the Philippines?

Dates and events to remember related to events surrounding the Philippine Sabah claim:

31 August 1957: Federation of Malaya (not yet MALAYSIA) was established on the Malay Peninsula thus giving the former British colony its political independence, while Britain kept Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo (Sabah) outside the federation.

12 May 1961: Malay prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman set about the formation of the Federation of Malaysia (successor to Federation of Malaya) —the political union of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah. The proposal was noted to have been well received in Peninsular MALAYA and Singapore but it was also noted that it was not popular in the three Borneo territories (which included Sabah) which stood to be annexed in the planned Federation of Malaysia.

May 1962: Senator Jovito Salonga treatise on "THE NORTH BORNEO QUESTION" and published in  Manila Times, Manila Chronicle, Philippines Free Press

22 June 1962: Philippines under President Diosdado Macapagal filed official claim to Sabah as successor in interest and formally opposed the planned annexation of Sabah by then Federation of Malaya and Great Britain from whom Peninsular Malaya had become independent.

12 September 1962 (and not on 11 September as claimed by some fake sultan and impostor prince claiming to be representing Sultanate of Sulu): official and formal transfer of sovereignty rights over Sabah to the Republic of the Philippines by Sultanate of Sulu through Sultan Esmail Kiram, legal and moral owners of Sabah.

January 1963: President Sukarno began a low-intensity conflict with Malaya known as Konfrontasi to prevent the annexation of Sarawak which Indonesia claimed as part of the Indonesian territory.

16 September 1963: Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore were annexed to Federation of MALAYA to create the Federation of MALAYSIA. Philippines and the newly formed Federation of Malaysia severed diplomatic ties.

*In picture: President Diosdado Macapagal aboard USS Oklahoma in 1962.