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Malaysia treats the Philippines like dirt and Malacañang takes it timidly

Published by Ellen on March 10, 2013

Malaysian police brutality Photo By BAZUKI MUHAMMAD REUTERS Wed, Mar 6, 2013 — Photo By BAZUKI MUHAMMAD REUTERS Wed, Mar 6, 2013. From Yahoo

Malaysia treats the Philippines like dirt and Malacañang takes it with hardly a whimper.

News reports relate the harrowing experience of Filipinos under the hands of Malaysian security forces who are conducting a sweep of the Sabah to capture the forces of Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, younger brother of Jamalul Kiram III and one of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, who was given Sabah by the Sultan of Brunei in 1878 as a reward for helping suppress a revolt.

Sabah became part of Malaysia as a result of questionable decisions by a British company and the United Kingdom.

A report by Inquirer’s Julie Alipala and Karlos Manlupig quoted 32-year old Amira Taradji, one of those who fled Sabah last week, as saying, “We’re treated like animals.”

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.

Grace Poe wants electorate to learn from 2004 cheating in Cebu

Published by Ellen on February 22, 2013

It’s good that Grace Poe, daughter of the late Fernando Poe, Jr and Susan Roces, brought up the issue of cheating during the 2004 elections in Cebu in the meeting of Team PNoy in that province last Wednesday.

The people should be reminded of that again and again because no one has been punished for that crime against the Filipino electorate.

Gloria Arroyo is out on bail for the crime of electoral fraud but it’s in connection with the 2007 elections, when she was not a candidate. That case is so weak, it would not be a surprise if Arroyo gets acquitted in that case.

Arroyo cheated big time in 2004 but the crime of electoral fraud was enacted only in 2007. She can be charged with the lesser crime (it’s bailable) graft but even that, it has not been done.

Poe, who is a senatorial candidate, said “This is the reason I didn’t stand on another stage in Cebu City, because it still hurts,” referring most probably to Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and the rest of the Garcia political clan who were die-hard supporters of Gloria Arroyo.

The Cebuanos took pride in 2004 that they gave Arroyo over one million lead over FPJ which defied logic and normal practice.

‘ 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.

China returns Philippine notice on U.N. suit

Published by Ellen on February 19, 2013

Hong Lei feb. 19 — Hong Lei in a press briefing Feb. 19, 2013

China today announced that it returned the Philippine notification of its suit filed at a United Nations arbitral handed to the Chinese ambassador in Manila last Jan 22, a Xinhua report said.

The report carried by China.org.cn said “The Chinese government has rejected a Philippine move to take their dispute regarding sovereignty issues in the South China Sea to the United Nations for arbitration, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.”

It quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei saying,”Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ma Keqing had an appointment with officials from the Philippines’ Foreign Ministry on Tuesday and returned a note and related notice after expressing China’s rejection.”

Reacting to the Chinese rejection,the Department of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement: “The Department received this afternoon from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ma Keqing a Note Verbale stating that China rejects and returns the Philippines’ Notification and Statement of Claim.

“The Department stresses that China’s action will not interfere with the process of Arbitration initiated by the Philippines on January 22, 2013. The Arbitration will proceed under Annex VII of UNCLOS and the 5-member arbitration panel will be formed with or without China.”

“In its Note Verbale, China reiterated its often stated position that it has indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea encompassed by its 9-dash line claim. This excessive claim is the core issue of the Philippines’ arbitration case against China.”

“The Philippines remains committed to Arbitration which is a friendly, peaceful and durable form of dispute settlement that should be welcomed by all.”

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