Tag: Sabah

UN appeal internationalizes what M’lcang calls a domestic issue

Published by Ellen on March 7, 2013

Jamalul Kiram III with his family in Taguig. Reuters Erik de Castro. From Yahoo

Following the appeal of Jamalul Kiram III, one of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu whose followers in Lahad Datu are engaged in bloody clashes with Malaysian forces, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on all parties to end the violence that has resulted in the death of more than 30 Filipinos and Malaysians.

The statement said, “The Secretary-General is closely following the situation in Sabah, Malaysia. He urges an end to the violence and encourages dialogue among all the parties for a peaceful resolution of the situation.

“The Secretary-General expresses concern about the impact this situation may have on the civilian population, including migrants in the region. He urges all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards.”

A tearful Kiram III immediately ordered a unilateral ceasefire to his forces in Lahad Datu, Sabah led by his younger brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram.

CCM reminds Aquino of constitutional duty to protect Filipinos

Published by Ellen on March 5, 2013

Rally of Kiram III followers in front of Malaysian Embassy in Manila. By Reuters, from Yahoo.

The Concerned Citizens Movement , which is espousing good governance, was at the forefront in opposing Gloria Arroyo’s illegitimate government.

CCM continues to be vigilant in demanding good governance from elected officials regardless of personalities.

CCM is gravely concerned about the way the Aquino government is handling the crisis involving Filipinos in Lahad Datu, Sabah. Following is CCM’s statement:

“Let’s not even talk of the Philippine title to Sabah which the P-Noy administration is apparently still studying. Let’s just talk about basic obligations, and not just privileges of states.

Why can’t PNoy say ‘Come Home’ instead of ‘Surrender’

Published by Ellen on March 2, 2013

President Aquino March 1, 2013 — He still doesn’t get it.

God forbid, but what a members of your family are killed and someone comes during the wake and blames you for the tragedy, what would you do?

Answers of close friends I asked ranged from a tempered reaction of showing the rude person the door to violent acts including use of a tool that is banned during this election campaign period.

That must be the feeling of relatives of the 12 Filipinos who were killed in Lahad Datu, Sabah when Malaysian commandoes assaulted the place where some 200 followers of the Sultan of Sulu, led by his brother Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, were camping out. Two of the commandoes were also killed, according to news reports.

Agbimuddin Kiram and his followers arrived in Lahad Datu Feb. 12 to re-affirm their ownership of a large part of Sabah which Malaysia is renting from them for a pittance.

Aquino fell into saboteurs’ trap

Published by Ellen on February 28, 2013

Aquino on Sabah stanfoff — Needs to learn the importance of right choice of words.

Malacañang believes that the occupation of the seaside village of Lahad Datu in Sabah by Rajah Mudah Agbinuddin Kiram, brother of the Sultan of Sulu, and his followers is really meant to sabotage the peace talks that his administration is conducting with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Reports said Malacañang suspects the national security adviser of Gloria Arroyo, Norberto Gonzales, as behind the sabotage.

It is easily believable because Gonzales has deep network in Muslim Mindanao and is close to Nur Misuari, the leader of another disgruntled group, the Moro National Liberation Front.

Gonzales and Misuari’s partnership go back a long way to their special operations training days in Malaysia during the 1960’s.

When Misuari staged a rebellion in 2001. Gonzales was known to have exerted influence to allow the former governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to be placed under house arrest. The case was eventually dismissed.

There are intelligence reports that Gonzales and his Jesuit priest friend have been meeting with some sectoral leaders and talking about “a revolutionary situation” under Aquino.

‘Don’t play into Malaysia’s hand’

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2013

“It is a sad commnetary on the Philippines if our own nationals should run to the UN because their government cannot protect their rights. This is not the spectacle our country wants to portray to the international community.

“It is now urgent to cease to be “confused” and move and act decisively. Time to end the Kabuki play on Sabah.”

President Aquino delivering speech on Sabah — What’s his government’s policy on Sabah?

By Lauro L.Baja, Jr., VERA Files

THE President has gone on TV appealing and at the same time chastising the Sultan of Sulu over the standoff in Lahad Datu in Sabah.

The next few days will tell the wisdom of doing it in public. His statements and actions give the unintended consequence of leaning on our own nationals over a foreign power. We may be playing into Malaysia’s hands who has been adopting a studied but cavalier attitude over the standoff. They are exercising acts of “effectivités” over Sabah during this standoff by their actions and even by their silence over our naive pronouncements.

“Effectivités” in a territorial dispute between countries gives weight to actual and continued exercise of authority over a territory. This is the basis of the International Court of Justice ’s 2002 decision on the Ligatan Sipadan case where the court awarded the area to Malaysia over Indonesia. Also the same principle in the case between Chile and Peru and between Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Who is Aquino’s adviser on Sabah issue?

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2013

Aquino warning Kiram on Sabah standoff — Aquino to Kiram III: “….desist from this hopeless cause.”

In his Facebook wall, Cotabato-based Fr. Eliseo Mercado of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance in Notre Dame University yesterday said, “After the President’s press statement on the Sabah issue, I am continued to be deluged with question,’Who is the adviser of the President on the Sabah issue?’

“Sagot ko: Ambot… baka ang Malaysian PM. From the tone and the content would show that he/she is either Malaysian or Malaysian-Philippine.”

In his statement, which came on the second week of the standoff in Lahad Datu, a seaside village in Sabah, President Aquino several times spoke of peace. Yet, the language he used reeks of arrogance that could only come from ignorance of the root of the issue.

‘ Bizarre’ standoff in Sabah

Published by Ellen on February 19, 2013

Jamalul Kiram III. AP photo by Aaron Favila.

One report described the current standoff in Sabah as “bizarre”.

Bizarre indeed. The Philippines claims ownership of Sabah based on the title of the Sultan of Sulu on the territory. The heirs of Sultan of Sulu who obtained the land are taking possession of a portion of the area. The Philippine government said it has nothing to with the the action of the heirs.

The reaction of the Philippine government is bizarre if one takes it from the presumption that the Philippines is not abandoning its claim over Sabah.

But if there’s one thing that this “bizarre” incident has made clear, the Philippines is no longer interested to pursue its claim over Sabah.

Required reading for policy makers

Published by Ellen on January 13, 2011

Another article on the book: http://ph.yfittopostblog.com/2011/01/13/diplomat-rodolfo-c-severinos-book-takes-on-national-territory-debate/

Severino signing books2 — Severino signing his book. Tress Reyes of Nikkei Shimbun and Charmaine Deogracias of NHK TV wait for their turn.

I have yet to meet a reporter who has covered the diplomatic beat seriously who is not in awe of former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino.

Severino unselfishly shares his vast knowledge about foreign relations in an engaging way that makes what is generally regarded as an esoteric and intimidating topic easily understandable.This enviable skill of his is again evident in his latest book, “Where in the world is the Philippines?”

The book, published by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore is about the ambiguity of the country’s territorial boundaries which he said has far reaching effects on people’s lives and communities.

The ambiguity is ironic because, he said, the Philippines is the only country that defines its national territory in its Constitution.

RP to initiate border talks

Published by Ellen on March 16, 2009

by Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files

The Philippines will soon initiate border talks with its neighbors and finally confront territorial issues it has long avoided, the most contentious being the dispute with Malaysia over Sabah, now that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed the Philippine Archipelagic Baseline Law.

The Baseline Law defines the limits of Philippine territory. It is these limits that will determine the country’s extended continental shelf, which is believed to contain substantial amounts of oil, natural gas, minerals and polymetals.

The Philippines has less than two months to beat the May 13, 2009 deadline for the submission of its claim over the extended continental shelf before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). The UN body, however, will not rule on a claim if it involves disputed territory.

Ermita’s Sabah memo

Published by Ellen on September 11, 2008

When Gloria Arroyo’s “special envoys” to Malaysia, minus National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, met with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, did they also discuss Sabah?

I’m curious because last Aug. 20, two weeks after the aborted signing of the Malaysian-brokered Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita issued Memorandum Circular 612 titled “Guidelines on Matters Pertaining to North Borneo (Sabah)”

The memo gives four instructions: