Muslim scholars advise Manila; Sultanate seeks Vatican help

Manila is reportedly getting advice from its top Muslim scholars to study the country’s dormant claim to Sabah.

Citing an unnamed source, The Philippine Star reported today that President Benigno Aquino III consulted professors from the republic’s top schools, including the University of the Philippines, to get an insight and to provide historical context to the sensitive territorial issue.

The Sabah claim was revived when armed followers of the descendants of the Sulu sultanate entered Lahad Datu since Feb 9 to stake the claim on the north Borneo state which has been under Malaysian governance for the past 50 years since 1963.

In the report, an insider from the president’s office was quoted as saying: “We have been consulting with Muslim scholars, some of them are even elderly.”

The source, however, could not give a categorical answer when asked about the prospects of the Philippines insisting on its Sabah claim.

Meanwhile, Filipino media also reported that the self-styled Sulu ‘sultan’ Jamalul Kiram III, who controls the militant group which had ventured into Sabah, has sought the help of the Catholic bishops in his country.

Rappler.com reported that Kiram met with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), a few hours before the latter flew to Vatican yesterday.

Kiram spokesperson Abraham Idjirani was quoted as saying that the Kiram family is not only seeking the support of the CBCP but also reaching out to the newly-minted Pope Francis.

Idjirani told reporters that the meeting was brokered by the founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, Dante Jimenez. During the meeting, Kiram apparently complained about the alleged human rights against Filipinos in Sabah and showed documents supporting the claim over the state.

“We went here to personally thank the Bishop and to show Muslim-Christian solidarity in the Philippines,” Jaycel Kiram, the daughter of Jamalul was quoted as saying in the Manila Standard Today.

It also reported the Cebu archbishop saying he could not promise much to the Kirams, but he will take up the matter with those who could.

President Benigno Aquino said on March 18 that Philippines is open to negotiating with Malaysia, in what is regarded as a clear indication that Manila has not given up its claim to Sabah.

Later, it was reported that Manila had engaged a team of lawyers to study the country’s claim on Sabah.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has stressed Malaysia’s sovereign right over Sabah, highlighting the Cobbold Commission’s 1962 referendum in Sabah and Sarawak, where about two-thirds of the people voted to be part of Malaysia.

On March 28, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman reiterated that Malaysia will not be entertaining any claims over Sabah, be it from the descendants of the Sulu sultanate or any other parties, including the government of Philippines.

“I have made it clear before. We won’t entertain any claim whatsoever,” Anifah had said.