Sabah under Bangsamoro region? 'Too controversial' says Angara, Zubiri

JOLO, Sulu - The inclusion of the state of Sabah in the proposed territory of the Bangsamoro autonomous region is “too controversial” to be pursued, senators said Thursday.

At the public consultation of the Senate subcommittee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), former Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan Sr. said Sabah should be included in the envisioned region.

“Sabi ni Nene Pimentel, dapat kasama North Borneo and Sabah so dapat pagusapan [yan],” Tan said, referring to an earlier statement of former Senate president Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr.

Pimentel said the government should continue to assert its claim over Sabah.

Senator Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on BBL, said the issue on Sabah would be better left to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Medyo magulo, with all due respect to all our brothers and sisters, the Tausug in Sulu, kasi baka magkaroon ng international implication, magkaproblema pa tayo sa Foreign Affairs department,” Zubiri said in an interview.

“So, I’d rather leave it to the Foreign Affairs department and as well as maybe on the talk later on the charter amendments yan, maaaring pasukin yan ng mga claims on other areas. But as of now, we’d like to leave it as less controversial as possible,” he said.

Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, said he would rather have the BBL “silent” on Sabah.

“If you are silent, then you are not necessarily waiving any claims but it’s difficult enough to begin with. There [are] so many contending factions already. We don’t want to stir the pot,” Angara said.

Sabah, located south of Mindanao, is part of a territorial dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia.

A Philippine claim for sovereignty over Sabah has lain dormant for decades, but Malaysia continues to pay a yearly rent to the heirs of Sultan of Sulu, who claim to be the descendants of the original Filipino sultan who had control over the territory for centuries.

In an ANC interview this week, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Sabah can be included in the eyed Bangsamoro region.

“I’m assuming Sabah, logic tells me, might be populated by Filipinos, who are Muslims. Then logic tells me that they are a future part of the Bangsamoro region," Pimentel said.

Zubiri, meanwhile, has committed to pass the BBL in the Senate in its third and final reading. — BAP, GMA News