Sulu Sultanate aligns with Makabayan bloc

From the Manila Standard Today (Jun 13): Sulu Sultanate aligns with Makabayan bloc

Vowing  to carry on the fight to regain Sabah, the Sulu Sultanate expressed hopes on Wednesday that its claim on the island would be taken up  by the House of Representatives when the 16th Congress opens next month.

Abraham Idjirani, the sultanate’s spokesman, said the Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) has assured its full to support to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s bid to regain Sabah from the Malaysia.

Makabayan is a coalition in  Congress that is comprised of eight progressive parties such as Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, Courage, Migrante, ACT-Teachers, Katribu, Akap Bata, Piston, Kalikasan and Aking Bikolnon.

According to Idjirani, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo sent words to the sultanate that the coalition is willing to bring the issue to Congress for deliberation and study.

“Since our Makabayan coalition has maintained its seven seats in the House of Representatives, we plan to take up the Sabah claim in Congress,” Idjirani quoted Ocampo’s text message on Monday.

As instructed by the coalition, Idjirani said that they are now preparing pertinent documents related to the Sabah issue.

As for the Senate, Idjirani said they might not be able to talk to the senators and ask for support since the Senate will be dominated by the allies of President Aquino come June 30.

Idjirani reiterated that the Sulu Sultanate will not give up its fight to reclaim Sabah as they continue to beef up their forces in the disputed 28,429-square kilometer territory.

He said even the brother of the Sultan who is still in Sabah, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, will never go back to the Philippines.

“Raja Muda said he will not leave Sabah. It is his commitment to remain there and fight for the sultanate’s rights. Our war is not with the Philippine government but with Malaysia,” Idjirani said.

Agbimuddin led about 200 members of the sultanate’s Royal Security Forces (RSF) that sailed to Sabah on February to revive their territorial claim over the land, which Malaysia regards as one of its 13 member-states.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/06/13/sulu-sultanate-aligns-with-makabayan-bloc/