The real objective of Sabah incursion

That the seething Sabah drama has come to a boil should not surprise anyone anymore than seeing a vigilante take the law in his own hands in the face of the government’s helplessness in dealing with lawlessness.  For so long has the Sultanate of Sulu suffered in silence.

Its claim of ownership over the territory in question is undeniable.  By any legal standards, Malaysia’s defense is laughably lame:  the “rental payments” were actually “cession” fees—in perpetuity?  It defies plain common sense.

Outside of merely mouthing about a “diplomatic solution,” the Philippine government itself has not really been paying serious attention to the sultanate’s grievance. Truth to tell, it fears crossing swords with Malaysia and understandably so.  Parleying is an overrated mumbo-jumbo where states with inferior claims but with superior firepower have very little patience for diplomacy. And with Philippine courts being unavailable for any remedy to the aggrieved party, there is nowhere else to go but the International Court of Justice. But the ICJ will not take cognizance of any such case unless Malaysia submits to its jurisdiction.  It is the same with the ongoing controversy over the Spratly islands where China also refuses to submit the matter to that court.  They just know they would be creamed if law, reason and logic were to rule the day. The reality is, where bullies are concerned, might is always right. So, there you go—blank wall!

To those who think that the sultan and his subjects are being stupid for thinking they can take back Sabah by force against the might of the Malaysian army, we say they are wrong.  Evidently, the sultan’s men are not there to win any territory. They are there just to prove a point or die trying. Self-immolation is nothing new to the Tausug tribe.  They are indomitable warriors whose fierce loyalty to the sultan is legendary. They are all prepared for the slaughter if that is what it will take for the whole world to sit up and condemn Malaysia for the shameless landgrab!

—STEPHEN L. MONSANTO,

Monsanto Law Office,

Loyola Heights, Quezon City,

[email protected]