25 March 2008
“The Constitution states that the national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction. The Constitution does not describe the Philippines as an archipelagic state, which is a term of art used by the UN Convention,” she said.
The senator said that if the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, the declaration would contradict the Treaty of Paris which sets out the boundaries of our national territory, which are wider than those allowed by the UNCLOS.
Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States, and now serves as the basis for the present Philippine Baseline Law embodied in R.A. No. 3046, together with R.A. No. 5446.
“The Treaty of Paris sets out the International Treaty Baselines of the Philippine territorial sea. By contrast, the bills pending in Congress will eliminate such limits and thus, the Philippines would lose its boundaries,” she said.
Santiago cautioned against declaring the Philippines as an archipelagic state, because under the UNCLOS, the Philippines would be entitled to only 12 nautical miles of the territorial sea which, she said, is “an almost colossal reduction from the wider boundaries of the International Treaty Limits under the Treaty of Paris.”
“If the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, our zone of sovereignty would collapse. Our internal waters would become archipelagic waters where the ships of all states will enjoy the right of innocent passage. In addition, foreign states would have the right of so-called archipelagic sea lane passage. Ships of all states would have the right of passage and their aircraft would have the right of over flight,” the senator said.
Santiago also warned that if the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, it would adversely affect the environment, because of marine pollution from ships in the archipelagic waters. The result would be that the Philippines as an archipelagic state would have less enforcement jurisdiction over foreign vessels in matters of pollution, than a non-archipelagic state in its territorial sea.
Santiago said that the question of ownership over the Kalayaan island group, sometimes called the Spratly, is related to the issue of archipelagic base lines.
“If the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, then we need scientists to determine if, under international law, Kalayaan by itself constitutes another archipelago. Under UNCLOS, an archipelagic state can be composed of two archipelagos. If not, under international law, Kalayaan could be characterized as ‘other islands’ over which the Philippines is entitled to claim sovereignty,” she said.
Santiago said that the present bills seeking to extend the archipelagic baselines so as to include Scarborough Shoal are not advisable, because it would revise the Treaty of Paris.
“International law does not recognize the drawing of archipelagic baselines as a method of claiming territorial sovereignty,” she said.
Instead, Santiago proposed that the Philippines should claim sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal through the method of effective occupation under international law.
“The Philippines has already exercised many political and administrative acts of a sovereign nature over Scarborough Shoal. Such acts include military exercises, establishment of lighthouse, enforcement of laws against foreign vessels and nationals, which are evidenced by historical data,” the senator said.
Santiago also warned against the wording of the pending bills concerning Sabah.
“In 2001, with Dean Merlin Magallona arguing for the Philippines, the International Court of Justice relied on Philippine law, particularly Republic Act No. 5446, Section 2, which provides that the Philippines has acquired dominion and sovereignty over Sabah, North Borneo and hence, the baselines of the territorial sea include baselines of the territorial sea around Sabah. If the pending bills abolish Sec. 2, the effect is to remove from Philippine law the affirmation of sovereignty over Sabah,” she said.
Santiago was referring to the Case Concerning Sovereignty Over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan between Malaysia and Indonesia, where the ICJ ruled that the Philippines will not in any way be affected by its decision on the merits I the case between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Santiago said that under a resolution that she filed, no less than a congressional commission on national territory should be established because the present bills “do not fully appreciate the magnitude and depth of the country’s territorial problems. In fact, the present bills carry the risk of exacerbating the contradictions internal to the territorial regime.”
MIRIAM: CHARTER BANS ARCHIPELAGIC STATE
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, warned that the Constitution has already defined the national territory, and any attempt to declare the Philippines as an archipelagic state under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) would require charter change, because it would reduce the national territory.“The Constitution states that the national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction. The Constitution does not describe the Philippines as an archipelagic state, which is a term of art used by the UN Convention,” she said.
The senator said that if the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, the declaration would contradict the Treaty of Paris which sets out the boundaries of our national territory, which are wider than those allowed by the UNCLOS.
Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States, and now serves as the basis for the present Philippine Baseline Law embodied in R.A. No. 3046, together with R.A. No. 5446.
“The Treaty of Paris sets out the International Treaty Baselines of the Philippine territorial sea. By contrast, the bills pending in Congress will eliminate such limits and thus, the Philippines would lose its boundaries,” she said.
Santiago cautioned against declaring the Philippines as an archipelagic state, because under the UNCLOS, the Philippines would be entitled to only 12 nautical miles of the territorial sea which, she said, is “an almost colossal reduction from the wider boundaries of the International Treaty Limits under the Treaty of Paris.”
“If the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, our zone of sovereignty would collapse. Our internal waters would become archipelagic waters where the ships of all states will enjoy the right of innocent passage. In addition, foreign states would have the right of so-called archipelagic sea lane passage. Ships of all states would have the right of passage and their aircraft would have the right of over flight,” the senator said.
Santiago also warned that if the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, it would adversely affect the environment, because of marine pollution from ships in the archipelagic waters. The result would be that the Philippines as an archipelagic state would have less enforcement jurisdiction over foreign vessels in matters of pollution, than a non-archipelagic state in its territorial sea.
Santiago said that the question of ownership over the Kalayaan island group, sometimes called the Spratly, is related to the issue of archipelagic base lines.
“If the Philippines declares itself an archipelagic state, then we need scientists to determine if, under international law, Kalayaan by itself constitutes another archipelago. Under UNCLOS, an archipelagic state can be composed of two archipelagos. If not, under international law, Kalayaan could be characterized as ‘other islands’ over which the Philippines is entitled to claim sovereignty,” she said.
Santiago said that the present bills seeking to extend the archipelagic baselines so as to include Scarborough Shoal are not advisable, because it would revise the Treaty of Paris.
“International law does not recognize the drawing of archipelagic baselines as a method of claiming territorial sovereignty,” she said.
Instead, Santiago proposed that the Philippines should claim sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal through the method of effective occupation under international law.
“The Philippines has already exercised many political and administrative acts of a sovereign nature over Scarborough Shoal. Such acts include military exercises, establishment of lighthouse, enforcement of laws against foreign vessels and nationals, which are evidenced by historical data,” the senator said.
Santiago also warned against the wording of the pending bills concerning Sabah.
“In 2001, with Dean Merlin Magallona arguing for the Philippines, the International Court of Justice relied on Philippine law, particularly Republic Act No. 5446, Section 2, which provides that the Philippines has acquired dominion and sovereignty over Sabah, North Borneo and hence, the baselines of the territorial sea include baselines of the territorial sea around Sabah. If the pending bills abolish Sec. 2, the effect is to remove from Philippine law the affirmation of sovereignty over Sabah,” she said.
Santiago was referring to the Case Concerning Sovereignty Over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan between Malaysia and Indonesia, where the ICJ ruled that the Philippines will not in any way be affected by its decision on the merits I the case between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Santiago said that under a resolution that she filed, no less than a congressional commission on national territory should be established because the present bills “do not fully appreciate the magnitude and depth of the country’s territorial problems. In fact, the present bills carry the risk of exacerbating the contradictions internal to the territorial regime.”
-End-
Labels: constitutional law, Dean Merlin Magallona, international law, Miriam, Spratlys
posted by MDS @ 12:07 PM
23 Comments
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23 Comments:
Let's educate our fellow Filipinos regarding our rightful claim to North Borneo(Sabah)!
For more info please visit:
www.phil-sabah.org
Madam Senator,
this link will tell you that most of the people supported your intellectual intervention about the Philippine Baseline Bill.
This is the link, Pls have a time to read it.
http://blogs.inquirer.net/voxpopuli/2008/03/28/on-philippine-claim-over-sabah/
On Philippine claim over Sabah
03/28/08
Posted under Feedback
TAMA si [Senator Miriam Defensor] Santiago baka madehado ang claim natin sa Sabah… dapat careful ang Congress sa pagpasa sa Philippine baseline bill kasi parang walang alam ang mga lawmakers na ‘yan sa mga territorial claims ng Pilipinas.
Dapat ‘wag na nating pakawalan pa ang Sabah.
– Amando Respicio Boncales, Illinois, US (via e-mail)
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Missy Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 3:15 am
amdg84 Says:
March 28th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
marami kasi sa mga kapwa natin filipino ang walang alam tungkol dun sa issue sa sabah. dun naman sa may konting alam, akala nila itinigil na natin yung claim natin sa sabah. dormant lang sya. siguro panahon na para maging aktibo na ulit at para makuha na natin ang talagang para sa atin.
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I believe, this part of the country’s legacy must be included in the country’s curriculum program….history and foreign relations. There must be a solid core of foreign Filipino correspondents who must focus on this issue and write about them regularly in our newspapers, especially in dialects or Pilipino so that more Filipinos can participate and join in their discussions. Tagalugin na lang at hindi yung pirming pa-inglis dahil sa we are excluding the very people who must learn about them…..who mostly have not gone beyond the college degree like the youths in the cities.
The strength of the nation lies in the hands of ALL THE PEOPLE. Barely 25% of the Filipinos have functional english literacy. Kung ang mga senador, mga lecturers, mga television pundits ay pirming nag-iinglisan, sila-sila lang ang nagkaka-intindihan. Ang mga tao sa kaparangan ng Philippines cannot join in, and do not get the knowledge and information they needed. Kaya, it is no wonder they do not understand why they should not sell their votes. Para lang silang mga multo na nagsisigalaw pero walang naiintindihan sa ating pagiging bansa, in relation to other foreign countries. Their idea of foreign aggression is still colonial period, yung mga foreign power attacking the islands. They have no idea that with a stroke of a pen, among thieves and traitors, their very own country and the future of their children can be sold at such a pittance, a little secret commission stashed in some accounts of these thieves in foreign countries like the United States….to be more exact, an account with brokerage houses. Anong naiintindihan ng mga Filipino about this corruption? Wala. Pero, magandang pakinggan pag si Gloria nagtalumpati na…but they are all designed, again, to dupe the people.
Condoning a liar and a cheat as the head of a government has a very deleterious consequences. And however rosy Gloria’s economic reports are…nobody should allow themselves to be duped repeatedly. Just look at the haggard faces lining up the USA and other foreign embassies to escape poverty in the country…and just look around how inept public officials are that they could not bring their agencies to function so that the bottom dwellers get relief. Look at the unresolved allegations of corruptions surrounding her and her cronies. Look at the spiraling downhill quality of education in the country. Count how many Filipino children can go all the way up to 6th grades. Count how many teachers can teach well, in both Pilipino and English. Cronyism is alive and well in the country: the reason why the inept with lots of loyalty to Gloria are now riding high and mighty. No wonder, the Philippines is not even mentioned or recommended for tourists to visit by foreign travel agencies. Report about the lack of sanitary toilets of majority of the Filipinos was made, not by Filipinos but by World Agency overseeing health, sanitation, and nutrition in the underdeveloped countries. Whatever good news to come out about the Filipinos abroad, it is the work of individual Filipino, with the help of their parents and well-adhered to Filipino values, not because of the prevailing situation of corruptions in the Philippines. The well-deserving, hard working Filipinos are really working very hard in order to maintain the respect of other people when in foreign countries. They have to fight that impression that is now pervading the sub-consciousness of foreigners that Filipinos are more corrupt, dishonest, and low-lifers as the political situation in the Philippines suggests. Meanwhile Gloria will continue in her effort to cover up corruptions and ineptness of her cronies by delivering rosy speeches about the economy.
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Efren Ranile Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Sabah is absolutely part of the Philippine territory since time immemorial and should be taken back because Malaysia illegally annexed it and our brilliant leaders are just fence setters when that country robbed our nation.
But how we will do it? since Marcos already dropped the claim because of fear for Malaysian retaliation by possible supporting Moro rebellion in the south, and used it for bargaining in hiring more Filipino workers in Malaysia.
The Philippines became so weak militarily, economically and politically because our resources are drained by corruption and our focus shifted more on non-stop political bickerings, while our neighbors are busy building up their economies and playing around with our sovereignty, to the point that we lost our moral stand on how to defend our territories.
Are we going to continue this downsided path towards destruction as a nation orchestrated by our corrupt political system? Now, China wants the Spratlys, then what? are we just going to watch them robbing us again?
Efren,
Florida USA
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Au AU Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
toto na mahina ang pag claim natin sa sabah at sa pakiwari ko natatakot ang mga may kina uukulan natin na ipagpatuloy pa ang usapin na iyan.napakarami talagang pilipino na nandoon,at napakalit ng tingin nila sa atin dahil progresibong bansa ang malaysia
ipinapamulat talaga ng gobyerno ng malaysia sa mga mamamayan nila na ang sabah ay sa kanila at walang karapatan na mag claim ang pilipinas.bakit hindi din natin ipamulat sa kanila,sa buong mamamayan ng pilipinas lalo na sa mga kabataan natin at sa buong mundo na ang sabah ay parte talaga ng pilipinas.Ano ba talaga ang ikinakatakot ng ating mga may kina uukulan na ipag patuloy ang pag claim sa sabah.may pruweba naman tayo di ba? kaya lang dapat careful talaga .
tutuo na tuwing magbasa ka ng dyaryo sa malaysia lalo na sa sabah,laging may mga pilipino na kasama sa krimen,or pilipina sa prostitutions ( at lalagang nakakahiya naman ) pero parating pilipino lang ang lagi nilang ine emphasize sa mga balita, gaya ng…. a Filipino involved in this and that crime or filipinas involved in prostitution and and and.
ang tanong ko ay ito,ginagawa kaya nila iyon para mamuhi ang mga locals at ibang mga lahi sa mga pilipinos, lalo na sa mga illegals na sinasabi na nandoon sa malaysia esp.sa sabah?
it is about time na ipagpatuloy ang pag claim sa sabah para naman ma ipamulat at ma ipaalam sa buong mundo na may karapanatan naman talaga na mag stay sa sabah ang mga tinatawag na illegal filipinos dahil iyon ay part ng pilipinas
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ronald Says:
March 29th, 2008 at 11:20 am
i think it is time now to strenghten the armed forces of the Philippines.. we must buy more battle tanks, modern combat helicopters, fighter planes, & battle ships. we cannot defend our country if our defense is weak, it’s as simple as that.
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lea dizon Says:
March 30th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
it’s easier to face malaysia on the Sabah issue rather than to face China, Vietnam, etc on the spratley issue.No way can we win militarily against these countries. wishy thinking.
At least malaysia is at least 100 times weaker in military strength compare to China or vietnam. We do have a fighting chance to get it back. With Sabah, we have all the legal claims both undocumented or documented. With Sabah , there is already proven oil and mineral reserve as with Spratley its more on hula hula basis.
As in any art of war it’s better to size up your kalaban first .
In any international diplomacy , might is right.
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CoffeePrincess Says:
March 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
There are things that are easier said than done, but this should not stop us from claiming what is rightfully ours. Kailangang nga lang maging mabusisis ang ating mga mambabatas at isipin nila kung ano yung magiging pinaka-advantageous for the our country in terms of establishing our sovereign rights over disputed territories. Mahirap kung mag-eengage tayo sa war just to defend our claims over such territories since we don’t have military supremacy over other claimants. We just have to use existinginternational laws to our utmost advantage in setting our baselines. Dun naman sa iba nating kababayan, sana naman ay bigyang pansin din nila ang ganitong issue tulad ng concern na meron sila over the newest gadgets and other mundane things.
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renato Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 5:53 am
tama si madame santiago dahil baka makalimutan ng ating mga mambabatas na meron tayong claim sa sabah at dapat ay buhayin na muli ng pilipinas sa UN ang claim natin kasi ito ay talagang atin.
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25
romee Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 11:15 am
As nationalist Filipino, we must support our claim to Sabah. It is our legitimate right that it belongs to us as evidenced by the continued payment of lease by Malaysia to the Sultanate of Jolo. Only because of conspiracy by the East India Company that it was incorporated in the formation of Federation of Malaysia that it comes into being part of Malaysia intead of the Philippines.
If only we have incorruptible leaders that can pursue this mission of recovery through diplomatic, legal and persuasion or sale if need be.
But before this, we must have to attain: Firstly;Patriotic Filipinos, Robust economy, Strong Military, Peace all over the archipelago (No insurgents/rebels), Employment for every citizen and food for every table in each household.
Secondly; Initiate dialogues with Malaysia with the participation of the Sultanate of Jolo on means to resolve this issue. At the same time another approach is to go to the U.N. or the International Court and diplomatic approaches with our ASEAN friends to pressure Malaysia to give in.
Only by exhausting all this approaches that we can truly stand to the world community that Filipinos are but one, undivided and will pursue what rightfully belongs to the motherland.
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26
"Minh" Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 11:50 am
Yan ang dapat isa sa mga pinag tutuunan ng pansin ng ating mga mambabatas hindi yang mga long-running investigations na yan na wala namang katuturan kundi tsismis at kaguluhan sa bansa. Ginagawa lang nilang venue para siraan ang mga kalaban nila sa pulitika kaya’t ang nangyayari eh puro trial by publicity. Malaking insulto sa intelligence ng mga taong marunong mag-isip at masamang impluwensya sa utak ng mga taong mahihilig maniwala sa sabi-sabi.
Kung magagawa nilang mag-conduct ulit ng investigation kung ano na ang nangyari sa ating claim sa Sabah at Spratly’s ng hindi nag iinsinuate ng corruption eh, baka may magandang kahinatnan ang ating hangarin. Sa mga nangyayari kasi ngayon, mukhang pinalalabas nila na wala ng matinong tao sa gobyerno kundi senado na lamang. Aba, eh, di panindigan na nila!
CoffeePrincess Says:
March 31st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
It wasn’t my intention to offend anybody regarding my earlier post. Kaya lang kasi nakakainis yung fact na may taong magsasabi na kalimutan na lang natin yung claim natin over Sabah pero di naman nya sinasabi kung bakit (pertaining to Ayessa). Lumalabas kasi na baseless yung opinion nya. I have nothing against those people saying that we should forget the Sabah issue, at least they’ve provided the reasons why they think so.
Sa kabilang banda, nakakalungkot lang isipin na buti pa pag laban ni Pacqiuao ang pinag-uusapan dahil halos nagiging isa ang Pilipinas pero sa mas mahahalagang issue eh sumusuko na tayo hindi pa naman nag-uumpisa ang tunay na laban. Sana lang pag isipan natin kung ano ang magiging long-term effect sa atin ng pagsuko natin sa supposed territories natin.
Allan, SYD Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 12:48 pm
It is not rocket science. Sabah belongs to the Philippines via the Sultanate of Sulu. Philippines has a legit claim over the area. The Malaysians will do whatever it takes to deny us that claim. So as Hongkong is part of China, Sabah is certainly part of the Philippines.
Harry King Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 8:48 pm
We have a rightful claim over Sabah but negotiations with Malaysia will be of no use now, are we ready to enter into an armed conflict and take it by force? Can we win? If that happens, will the world opinions be in our favor?
Paul Sibug Says:
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Sabah was occupied by Malaysia illegally similar to what Iraq have done to Kuwait, our government and the sultanate of Sulu should do everything possible to retake Sabah as it is a legitimate part of Philippine territory. Sabah land area is almost the size of Mindanao and it is rich in oil and mineral resources , that’s why Malaysia would never give up Sabah.
aero Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Kung hindi lang sana tayo naging masyadong anti-Marcos nung araw, Sabah may have been part of the Philippines territorry now. I was still young then, But i remember, Marcos try to regain Sabah thru two discreet military approach. But some anti-Marcos elements expose the delicate military mission that spoil everything. Marcos during those time replaces Macapagal, who will replace now Macapagal II ? Do we need new Marcos ?
BorneanMonkey Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Let’s stop Malaysia from bullying us. For all of you who don’t know how Malaysians treat the Filipinos they hire as maids, waiters, and waitresses, it’s really sad. Malaysia is nothing without Sabah. We should all unite. Stop using Malaysia as mediator between the Muslim Rebels. They have their own vested interests. We are more intelligent than their population. Let’s regain our confidence and pride.
Kung si Miriam Defensor Santiago ang mananalo sa 2010 Presidential Elections, siguradong babawiin niya ang Sabah sa Malaysia. Mababasa sa mga gestures ni Miriam na interesado siya na bawiin ang Sabah sa Malaysia; at sa personalidad ni Miriam kaya niyang bawiin ang Sabah kung bibigyan siya ng pagkakataon na mamuno ng bansang Pilipinas. Hindi imposibleng magdeklara siya ng giyera laban sa Malaysia. Gagawin niya ang lahat ng pwede niyang gawin maibalik lang sa mga Pilipino ang ninakaw na lupaing Sabah dahil alam ni Miriam na siguradong mga Pilipino ang tunay na may-ari ng Sabah.
Ang lupang Sabah ay napakayaman ng mga natural resources, lalo na sa langis. Ngunit napakalungkot isipin na Malaysia ang umaani ng mga yaman ng Sabah na siyang tunay pagmamay-ari ng Pilipinas. Hindi maikakaila ng Malaysia na isa sa mga nagpapaunlad ng kanilang ekonomiya ay ang Sabah. Bilyong-bilyong Dolyar ang nailalagay sa kanilang kaban dahil sa yaman ng Sabah. Samantalang tayong mga Pilipino na tunay na nagmamay-ari ng Sabah ay naghihirap.
Bawiin natin ang Sabah. Pilipinas ang tunay na may-ari ng Sabah.
Sana manalo si Miriam bilang pangulo ng bansa natin upang masimulan na muli ang hakbang na bawiin ang Sabah sa Malaysia.
Sana tumakbo ka muli Miriam sa 2010 Presidential Elections. Do your best to become the next Lady President of the Philippines. Run Miriam run!
GOD BLESS YOU MIRIAM.
Vincent, 25, Davao
Vincent,
Pls join us at:
http://groups.google.com/group/the-philippine-sabah-society
we are advocates of this issue
amando
While Malaysia has effectively retained full control over Sabah, it is also on record that as recent as 2003 it has been paying “cession” fees to the Sultanate, based on notices transmitted by the Malaysian embassy in Manila. It is also asserted that under international law that the term ‘perpetuity’ is reckoned legally as lasting a period of 99 years. If this is so, then simple arithmetic would indicate that the lease has, in fact, expired. (At least one account on the Internet indicates the lease is 130 years past due.)
The website of the Sultanate of Sulu and Sabah asserts that at the very least, with Malaysia supposedly earning up to 100 billion dollars per year from the exploitation of the area’s rich natural resources (this figure is unverified), the sultanate would, by its own estimates, be entitled to a share of some 10 billion dollars, a huge amount the the sultanate says could go to uplifting the lives of the people of Sulu.
from:http://www.quezon.ph/1787/dismal-diplomacy/
Senadora Miriam you are the best! thank you for the information and thank you for educating the other law makers (na wala naman alam) about the baseline issue. Thank you for protecting our territories. I believe that we need to include Sabah in our school text books and mostly to the Philippine map. History and legal facts favor the Philippines. So let us not be intimidated by any country, specially Malaysia for that matter. Malaysia is exploiting our natural resources for their own benefit. This must stop. Madam Senator please urge the Philippine government to pursue this case to the International Court. We are behind you. We have to act now before it's too late.
(dugong.maharlika@yahoo.com)
(Friendster Group: The Philippine Territory
Our Fatherland includes Sabah
June 19th, 2008 by Juan Guerra | Posted in Fatherland |
We have heard the talk in the past about the territory of Sabah, jointly held by Indonesia and Malaysia, and that past governments have desired to bring it into the fold of our beloved Fatherland. However due to the incessant bickering of our political parties no move to reclaim our territory has ever been made, instead idle posturing and saber rattling is all that resulted.
The Samahan will instead pursue a rigorous policy of expansion into the territory of Sabah, not only that our government shall reclaim it, but that it will also be repopulated by Pilipino (Filipino) nationalists. It is intrinsic that once we hold Sabah we must displace the squatter population there and repatriate the entire area with our people in order to hold our claim.
Now many ask does this mean war? Of course not, we are a civilized nation and an intellectual party, which means that though we prepare for the terrible chance of war, in actual fact we wish only for peaceful negotiations. We will work with the Indonesian and Malaysian governments and work out trade deals or financial restitution in return for the land. Yes we know that this land was ours, that we should simply take it by force and damn the consequences. But this makes not only for bad foreign policy but also senseless death of countless Pilipino (Filipino) citizens.
Some claim that because we desire a strong military and that we will fight for the rights of our people that this means our first action will always be war. No my friends peaceful negotiation must always be the first course of action when working with other nations. The fact that Sabah was ours will lend heavy weight to all our negotiations both regionally and internationally, and that will make it easier for us when we work with our allies to come to a final resolution regarding our national sovereignty.
But to what end is the reclaiming of Sabah going to further the Fatherland and our people? Land my friends, it is about living space and breathing room for our national community, land that we need to house and feed our ever-growing population. Instead of facing a nation that will be over crowded and starved for food, with the inclusion of Sabah we will have vast new territories to spread out in and to farm and feed the Fatherland.
With Sabah we will have a drive to the frontiers, land for those without their own, those that live in Manila, the so called "squatters", will be allowed to travel to Sabah and claim land for free as their own from which they can farm and not only feed their families but help feed the nation. This will relieve much of the pressure on Manila and the resources that the city has at their disposal. The poor will be given a chance to create strong and better lives, with aid from our government and a new series of developmental banks that will provide training and funding to build massive tracks of agricultural lands.
OF course we must take precautions ahead of time to protect from slash and burn policies that the Malays and Indonesians have practiced for years. Killing of the natural world, wiping out animals and plant life that may one day yield beneficial harvests in the medical world. Even the pollution from these slash and burn policies have affected the health and well being of our people in the Philippines, the smoke and carcinogens have made their way to our cities causing worse health risks to our nation then were already there.
No for us the inclusion of Sabah is not only going to be a massive economic boon to all our people, to our agricultural industry, but it will also be a huge boost to our national morale helping to spur on the national economy and bringing the standard of living up for our entire nation. Sabah belongs to us; we must take it back as our historical and divine right. The land belongs to us and it is unjust in the best of light that it continues to be used by foreign governments that wrongfully took away our sovereign rights. We will accept nothing short of repatriation to the Fatherland, though we will work with these nations peacefully to achieve such goals.
Brothers the time has come to watch our nation expand well beyond its borders, to what once was the Philippines of the past. Before cowardly imperialists gave away that which was not theirs to begin with to pay of other foreign governments. It is time that these nations made right the wrongs from the past, to pay back what they have taken from us, and it is time for the rest of the world to recognize the sovereign rights of the Fatherland.
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