Philippines under Duterte to stake claim on Sabah despite Malaysia’s warning

[bemildred]

PATIKUL, Sulu– President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is set to reignite an old dispute with Malaysia by staking claim over Sabah or North Borneo through peaceful means this time.

Three years ago, Philippine’s Sulu sultanate had sent more than 200 heavily armed royal soldiers to Lahad Datu, Sabah, to take back their oil-rich land but the Malaysian government’s superior military assets and commandos drove them back.

Before the Lahad Datu battle, the sultanate failed to get the support of then Philippine President Benigno Aquino over its Sabah claim. As many as 56 royal militants and 10 Malaysian commandos died in the battle.

A source in Patikul said to Asia Times that when the proposed peace talks begin between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Duterte government, the legitimate heirs of the Sulu Sultanate should ideally be included in the discussions.

http://atimes.com/2016/06/philippines-under-duterte-to-stake-claim-on-sabah-despite-malaysias-warning/

[bemildred]

1. Duterte’s proposed ‘bilateral talk’ calms China’s aggression in South China Sea

MINDANAO, Philippines–Ever since incoming Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his willingness to hold bilateral talks with Beijing to discuss the South China Sea dispute, Manila has received no serious reports of China’s coast guard driving away Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal. Nor have there been reports of harassment by Chinese cutters against the Philippine Navy in the same area.

The observations were made by both the Philippine Navy and Professor Rommel Banaoi, director of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies, a non-government research group in the Philippines, which has been monitoring China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

In Beijing, the South China Morning Post also reported that Li Jie, a China-based military expert, said China would maintain friendly relations before the inauguration of Duterte at the end of this month.

http://atimes.com/2016/06/dutertes-proposed-bilateral-talk-calms-chinas-aggression-in-south-china-sea/

[bemildred]

2. Philippines kept ignoring maritime talks proposal, says China

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Wednesday the Philippines has ignored a proposal for a regular talks mechanism over maritime issues, as it repeated that its door was always open to bilateral talks with Manila on the South China Sea.

China claims most of the waters, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with the United States.

The Philippines has brought a case at an international tribunal in The Hague contesting China’s claims, a case rejected by China which wants to solve the issue bilaterally.

In a statement released in both Chinese and English, China’s Foreign Ministry said the two countries had agreed in 1995 to settle disputes in the South China Sea “in a peaceful and friendly manner through consultations on the basis of equity and mutual respect.”

http://atimes.com/2016/06/philippines-ignoring-maritime-talks-proposal-china/