On national integrity and sovereignty: If President Aquino turned from being a generally perceived weakling and moral coward into a fighting leader, would you give him your all out support?

ON THE ISSUE OF NATIONAL INTEGRITY AND SOVEREIGNTY, a question to Philippine patriots and to the community of the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims: 

President NoyNoy Aquino will soon be delivering his State of the Nation Address... If President Noynoy Aquino decides to turned around from being a generally perceived weakling and moral coward in order to face the nation's foreign bullies, and as one member says, 'pounds his fist on the table', and announced that...

"NO nation will succeed in stealing Philippine territory! I am ordering the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard to deploy all available ships to patrol our EEZ, guard our territories, protect and defend them against would-be foreign intruders at all cost... Furthermore, let this be known that I will not tolerate foreign state-sanctioned human rights violations on my people in Sabah..."

Would you let 'bygones be bygones' and give your ALL OUT support to NoyNoy Aquino, i.e., without reservation?

Please answer with either Yes or No... Thank you.

NB: If your answer is "NO" or "NOT SURE", please explain why not? Thank you very much.

NNB: Please feel free to share this post.

By Admins, Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims: 

06 June 2013

What is wrong with the Aquino Govt? Why the un-involved observer stance on Filipinos' Sabah claim?

Our questions: What is wrong with the Aquino Govt? Why the 'un-involved observer stance' on Filipinos' Sabah claim?

In her article "Reclaiming Sabah", Manila Standard Today columnist Linda V. Jimeno, rightly points out: 

"Why the government is taking the stance of an un-involved observer is beyond comprehension. When the sovereignty and dominion over the territory was transferred to the Philippine government by the Sultanate in 1962–which the government accepted as shown in its many overt acts–the government took on the responsibility of reclaiming Sabah and protecting Filipinos who initiate non-violent actions to revive the Philippine claim." 

Full article: 

Reclaiming Sabah Posted on Apr. 15, 2013 Manila Standard Today

In my column last week entitled “Legal basis for the Sabah claim,” I discussed how the Sulu Sultanate came to acquire North Borneo (Sabah) and exercise dominion and sovereignty over it, and how Malaysia  came to possess the territory. 

In this article, questions on what the Philippines has done to make an official claim over Sabah and how Malaysia responded will be discussed, culling from the booklet written by Prof. Emmanuel Q. Yap, founder of the People’s Patriotic Movement. 

When the Sulu Sultanate transferred by a legal instrument its dominion and sovereignty over Sabah to the Philippine government in 1962, did the government do anything to assert its ownership over Sabah? Yes. Even before the Federation of Malaysia came into being, the Philippine government, in 1950, advised the British government that it had a claim over Sabah. Too, the Federation of Malaya (not yet Malaysia) recognized that there was an Aide Memoire dated August 2, 1962 from the Foreign Affairs Department of the Philippines which reminded the Federation of Malaya that “Britain occupies the territory by the terms of the lease which, in no way, entitles the British government to claim ownership or sovereignty over the territory or to transfer it to any entity whatsoever.” 

The Federation of Malaya acknowledged this Aide Memoire by also handing an Aide Memoire to the Philippine Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur on October 3, 1962 stating that the government of the Federation of Malaya and the British government agreed that they would work towards a formal agreement for the transfer of the North Borneo territory (and Singapore) to the Federation of Malaysia. No such formal agreement was ever reached. Yet, Britain proceeded to include Sabah among the territories it transferred to Malaysia. 

On December 29, 1962, the Philippines and the United Kingdom announced an agreement to hold talks on the Philippine claim. Thus, from January 28 to February 1, 1963 the first Ministerial Conference on the Claims was held in London with then Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez heading the RP panel. 

Did not the Philippines object to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963 which included Sabah? Yes, it did, together with Indonesia which, in turn, was claiming Sarawak. Thus, then Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, Indonesian President Soekarno and Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal met in Manila in August 1963.  The Manila Accord of 1963 was signed where Malaysia agreed that the inclusion of Sabah in its Federation would not prejudice the Philippine claim. Malaysia acknowledged the right of the Philippines to pursue its claim in accordance with international laws and the United Nations principles of pacific settlement of disputes. 

From February 5 to 10, 1964, the first round of talks between Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia (known as the Maphilindo talks) was held in Bangkok. Around the same time, President Macapagal and the Malaysian Prime Minister met in Phnom Penh. The Tunku agreed to elevate the claim to the International Court of Justice and encouraged the Philippines to submit a memorandum detailing the basis of its claims. The foreign affairs ministers of the Maphilindo states held a second round of talks from March 5 to 6, 1964. Then in June 1964 the Philippines gave to Malaysia its memorandum, “Philippine Claim to North Borneo Vol. 1” as suggested by the Malaysian Prime Minister. 

What happened in the Maphilindo talks in Bangkok? The talks failed because Malaysia unilaterally rejected the Philippine claim to Sabah and then terminated the talks. In so doing, it arrogated unto itself the power of a judge while being a contending party in the dispute. The talks were held supposedly to agree on what modes of settlement, as provided in the Manila Accord of 1963, were acceptable to both governments. 

How significant are the meetings in London and in Bangkok to the Philippine claim? The London foreign ministers’ meeting was significant in that it gave the Philippine claim the status of a legitimate international dispute. On the other hand, the Maphilindo agreement to meet in Bangkok pursuant to the Manila Accord was significant in that it contained a reservation agreed upon by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia that the formation of Malaysia would not prejudice the unresolved Philippine claim over North Borneo (Sabah). All three countries also agreed to settle the dispute by peaceful means such as arbitration. In effect, therefore, Malaysia accepted the existence of the legitimacy of the Philippine claim to Sabah. 

What is the effect of Malaysia’s unilateral termination of the Maphilindo talks in Bangkok? Malaysia violated several solemn agreements. One of them is the Manila Accord. Another is the agreement between the Philippine President and the Malaysian Prime Minister in Phnom Penh that the two countries would discuss the “best way of settling the claim, not precluding reference to the International Court of Justice.” Still another was the exchange of Communique between the two countries where both essentially agreed to discuss the best way to settle the claim. 

Should the Sultanate of Sulu be blamed for taking proactive action in reclaiming Sabah? The manner the Sultanate asserted its claim may not have been the proper and legal way but this writer will not go as far as blaming the Sultanate. The historical records speak for themselves. Why the government is taking the stance of an un-involved observer is beyond comprehension. When the sovereignty and dominion over the territory was transferred to the Philippine government by the Sultanate in 1962–which the government accepted as shown in its many overt acts–the government took on the responsibility of reclaiming Sabah and protecting Filipinos who initiate non-violent actions to revive the Philippine claim. 

E-mail: ritalindaj@gmail.com   Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

Related blog posts:

The Most Beautiful Defence of the Philippine Sabah Claim

Signing of the Manila Accord

Government must not confuse itself on who is who in the Sulu Sultanate

Commentary by retired Ambassadors Baja and Lavinia

Senator Salonga warns Senator Sumulong

Should the Aquino Government now kill the Sabah claim to appease Malaysia?

Malaysia should have listened to Nur Misuari warning not to harm Filipino Tausugs in Sabah

Nur Misuari shown with a group of MNLF fighters

Malaysia press seem to be filled with news about Nur Misuari and the MNLF's rescue operations in the offing. 

If we have to go by the amount of news mileage that Nur Misuari-MNLF rescue teams have garnered in Malaysia news, it is safe to assume that the Malaysians are probably worried sick. And rightly so!

No less than Malaysia's Defence Minister Zahid issued threats against the MNLF founder by bandying Malaysia's 'superior' security faces to prove his point that he is not taking Nur Misuari's MNLF training camps lightly. Alas! Too late! He should have listened to Nur Misuari's warning much earlier and refrained from ordering the massive killings of Filipino Tausugs in Sabah.

Malaysia must not be surprised by Nur Misuari's preparations. He had already warned Malaysia that if their troops kill Filipino Tausugs, the MNLF would be forced to the rescue but it seems Malaysians, pigheaded that they alwasy are, have not been taking the legendary Tausug warrior's exhortations. 

To the MNLF, we say, march on Tausug warriors! March on and thrash these Malaysian bastards!

Nemo nos impune lacessit! (No one hits us with impunity)

MNLF training camp for Sabah rescue operation

April 10, 2013 Free Malaysia Today

Veteran combat fighters are training recruits to rescue Filipinos stranded in Sabah.

JOLO: In a camp set up by the Moro National Liberation Front in this part of southern Philippines, recruits are being trained by veteran combat fighters “to rescue” thousands of Filipinos allegedly being abused by Malaysian security forces in Sabah.
MNLF chairman Nur Misuari gave News5 an exclusive peek into the ongoing training for members of “Operation Rescue”" as he claimed they were ready to “sustain a war for a hundred years” if necessary.
The online news portal InterAksyon.com quotes Misuari, founder of the original Moro insurgent force in the 1960s, as saying that 1,000 of their men are already in Sabah.
Misuari stressed that their troops are not allied with the Royal Sultanate Army but have as their main mision the “rescue” of Filipinos allegedly being “abused” by Malaysia. Over 60 Filipinos have died in the standoff, and thousands others are feared caught in the crackdown.
Separate from Misuari’s statements, members of the self-styled “Royal Security Force of the Sulu Sultanate” who remain holed up in Lahad Datu, Sabah, claimed to have received additional reinforcements from sympathisers in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas.
Abraham Idjirani, sultanate spokesman and secretary general, claimed in a phone interview that as of Tuesday, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram and his Royal Security Force are 400-strong, after dwindling to just over 160 in the face of heavy Malaysian assault.
Idjirani said more Filipinos went to Sabah on March 29 and April 5 on board boats, able to slip past the naval blockade set up by both the Philippines and Malaysia.
He said “70 to 80 percent” of those who went there were reportedly armed. He said these Filipinos went there on their own due to “accumulated anger” after their loved ones in Sabah were either allegedly killed or harassed by Malaysians.
Idjirani’s claims could not be independently verified, and Philippine military officials have said that naval forces are in place to block any such attempts to reinforce the sultanate’s followers in Sabah.
At the MNLF camp, trainees were being instructed on the use of machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
Sulu Gov. Abdulsakur Tan cautioned Misuari against any rash actions, while a military spokesman warned that the supposed rescue plans, if carried out, would go against Philippine policies on the Sabah standoff.
-Agencies

Malaysia's Defence Minister Zahid is speaking from his backside

Nur Misuari

Zahid

In the news today: Peninsular Malaysia's Defence Minister Zahid said that Misuari and his so-called MNLF fighters should not try and test the patience and strength of Malaysian security forces which included the army, police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

Big words, Mr Zahid! Big words from the mouth of a little Malayan politician!

Come to think of it, is Mr Zahid threatening to invade Sulu with Kuala Lumpur's troops? His big words about the "strength of Malaysian security forces" is almost a declaration that he would and that he could if you read between the lines! 

To be perfectly honest, if there is anyone in the Republic who should feel threatened, it is President Aquino; sadly we don't think Mr Aquino cares or if he does, he is tetanised by fear! 

Which, incidentally, we must remind our great and benighted leader, President NoyNoy, that if he looks at things in Mindanao purely from a tactical perspective, he will realise that will not be a difficult task for Zahid to order his already stationed troops in Mindanao and his new pro-Malaya recruits, the MILF, to sow havoc in Mindanao and to kidnap or kill would-be Filipino Tausug officcers and warriors bound for Sabah in Mindanao itself. But that is Mr Zahid's -- and Mr Aquino's, problem and not ours.

(Just so everyone knows, we have  consistently warned President NoyNoy that his allowing Kuala Lumpur troops to be stationed in Mindanao is giving Kuala Lumpur military the incredible right to establish a military beachhead in Mindanao. We guess that he did that to please his Daddy and his Mommy.)

In any case, the good but excitable Malaysia Defence Minister Zahid is out of his mind. Before anything else, we don't believe for one nano second that this grandstanding by Mr Zahid will make Nur Misuari cower in fear. Secondly, Zahid must put it in his tiny brain that not once did Nur Misuari threaten to invade Peninsular Malaysia of which Kuala Lumpur is capital, therefore there is no threat whatsoever against 'Malaysia.'

If Zahid thinks that he could bamboozle Nur Misuari, who has been imprisoned left, right and center by both the governments of Kuala Lumpur and Imperial Manila over the last few decades, into submission by stupid warnings, then he must go see a doctor for prescription pills to ease his nerves.

On Zahid's implying that Sabah is part of Kuala Lumpur's sovereignty, Mr Zahid is propagating Kuala Lumpur's tradition for distorting historical, legal and moral facts!  Before he goes on one of his wild goose chases again, we advise him to read and re-read history so that he can be apprised of the very basic fact that Sabah was illegaly annexed to the Malaya Federation by the British colonial lords of Sabah after British finally let go of their colonial throttle over the land whose proprietary rights belong to the Sultanate of Sulu. Which, by any stretch of his wild imagination, does not mean Kuala Lumpur has suddenly become sovereign rights holders of Sabah.

Surely, Mr Zahid is aware that the illegal annexation was brought about when the lessees, Messrs Overbeck and Dent's British North Borneo Company, transferred its lease to the British Crown in 1946 something which violated a key provision in the contract of lease. The ensuing British Crown colonisation of Sabah did not give Kuala Lumpur the right to annex it - in fact, Kuala Lumpur had absolutely nothing to do with Sabah until the creation of the Malaysia Federation which sought to annex despite protestations from the Republic of the Philippines which had establised de jure sovereignty rights over it by virtue of the transfer made by the sultanate in 1962. 

Furthermore, Mr Zahid must remember that there exists a 1963 Manila Accord which was co-signed no less than by one of the fathers of his own country, Malaya Federation's Tunku Abdul Rahman, of which Provision 12 clearly stipulates that the creation of the 1963 Malaysia Federation does not extinguish the Philippine sovereignty rights claim to Sabah. 

In fine, it would do well for Mr Zahid to stop all his nonsense declaration that Nur Misuari has threatened his country's sovereignty. The boundaries of his country, Malaya Federation or Peninsular Malaysia today, do not extend to Sabah. His troops are illegaly fermenting chaos in Sabah. Nur Misuari, like any Tausug, like any warrior, like any man worthy to be called a man, like any Filipino patriot, has all the right to fight for Sabah and to kill -- if necessary -- its enemies of  whom Malaysian troops on orders of Mr Zahid's Kuala Lumpur government are part.

For the umpteenth time, we repeat, Sabah's sovereignty rights do not belong to Malaya Federation-Peninsular Malaysia. No amount of threats or warnings in public by Zahid could change this one inalienable fact!

~~ By the Defenders of Philippine Sovereignty
for the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
10 April 2013

Defence Minister Zahid has strong words for Misuari, warning him not to threaten the sovereignty of MalaysiaApril, 10, 2013 - 12:59 pmThe Borneo Insider

JOLO, Sulu: In a camp set up by the Moro National Liberation Front in this part of southern Philippines, recruits are being trained by veteran combat fighters “to rescue” thousands of Filipinos allegedly being abused by Malaysian security forces in Sabah. 

MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari gave News5 an exclusive peek into the on-going training for members of “Operation Rescue”" as he claimed they were ready to “sustain a war for a hundred years” if necessary. 

Misuari, founder of the original Moro insurgent force in the 1960s, claimed 1,000 of their men have already snuck into Sabah where a stand-off began February 12 between Malaysian forces and followers of the Sulu sultanate out to “reclaim” ancient territory.Misuari stressed that their troops are not allied with the Royal Sultanate Army but have as their main mission the “rescue” of Filipinos allegedly being “abused” by Malaysia. The report was carried by online portal InterAksyon.net. 

Misuari claims recruits are being trained by veteran combat fighters “to rescue” thousands of FilipinosOver 60 Filipinos have died in the standoff, and thousands others are feared caught in the crackdown.Separate from Misuari’s statements, members of the self-styled “Royal Security Force of the Sulu Sultanate” who remain holed up in Lahad Datu, Sabah, claim to have received additional reinforcements from sympathizers in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas. 

Abraham Idjirani, sultanate spokesman and secretary general, claimed in a phone interview that as of Tuesday, Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram and his Royal Security Force are 400-strong, after dwindling to just over 160 in the face of heavy Malaysian assault. 

Idjirani said more Filipinos went to Sabah on March 29 and April 5 on board boats, able to slip past the naval blockade set up by both the Philippines and Malaysia. He said “70 to 80 per cent” of those who went there were reportedly armed. He said these Filipinos went there on their own due to “accumulated anger” after their loved ones in Sabah were either allegedly killed or harassed by Malaysians. 

Idjirani’s claims could not be independently verified, and Philippine military officials have said that naval forces are in place to block any such attempts to reinforce the sultanate’s followers in Sabah.At the MNLF camp, trainees were being instructed on the use of machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Sulu Gov. Abdulsakur Tan cautioned Misuari against any rash actions, while a military spokesman warned that the supposed rescue plans, if carried out, would go against Philippine policies on the Sabah standoff. 

In SANDAKAN, Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had strong words for Misuari, warning him not to threaten the sovereignty of Malaysia.He said Misuari and his so-called MNLF fighters should not try and test the patience and strength of Malaysian security forces which included the army, police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. 

“We are ready from any external threat,” Zahid told reporters after visiting the Sandakan Prisons Department Tuesday.Zahid said Misuari had long been rejected and abandoned by his own people. 

“Misuari should ask himself if he is still accepted by the Bangsamoro and if the Philippines recognise him anymore. (The Nur) Misuari era is long gone,” said Zahid. 

According to Zahid it was Malaysia’s intention to find peace in the region as it was the responsibility of neighbours to ensure good relations with one another.

Philippine Sabah Claim: Sovereignty rights and ownership not the same

SUBJECT: An important factor in the Sabah question is THE NINE SULTANATE HEIRS and not whoever the sultan is. The Philippine Government must not use the Kirams' intra-family bickering as an excuse NOT to perform the Republic's contractual obligation.

OPINION OF ADMIN APM, LEGAL EXPERT, PHILIPPINE SABAH CLAIM FORUM: "Who owns the land, or who among the heirs is the manager or trust holder of a property has no bearing on a country's sovereignty rights. 

"In fact, it is not even important who owns the title at this point for as long as a government have acquired dominion over it at one time based on an internationally-acceptable mode of acquisition of a territory.

"It is about what lands and waters are included in a country's territory and jurisdiction as outlined in its Constitution and other special laws. Proprietary rights over a real property are transferred every day, in many different ways, but the country still retains sovereignty rights over the same.

"Even selling it to a a citizen of another country, or an intra-state corporation (which is not legal in the Philippines) does not transfer the sovereign right of one country to the buyer's country of origin.

"Who the right sultan of the Sultanate of Sulu is tantamount to meddling in who is the administrator of the properties left by an intestate deceased parent. It's not an issue that needs to be addressed in a question of sovereignty rights."

ARTICLE I - NATIONAL TERRITORY OF THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE 1 OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION 
(Under President Cory Aquino) 

ARTICLE I- NATIONAL TERRITORY
•The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and allother territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas.

"... all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty" = MEANS THAT SABAH IS PART OF THE PHILIPPINES BECAUSE SOVEREIGNTY RIGHTS OVER SABAH WERE OFFICIALLY TRANSFERRED (signed and sealed) TO THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES BY THE SULTANATE OF SULU ON 12 SEPT 1962 DURING THE TERM OF PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL LONG BEFORE THE 1987 CONSTITUTION WAS PROMULGATED. HENCE, SABAH HAS NOT BEEN EXCLUDED AT ALL FROM THE SCOPE OF PHIL NATIONAL TERRITORY UNDER THE 1987 CONSTIUTION CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME BELIEVE.

Sultan Muedzul Kiram: "My fellow Filipinos, my fellow Tausugs, my compatriots wherever you may be, I solemnly vow to defend and uphold my oath as defender of sovereignty rights over Sabah"

In picture: Sultan Muedzul Kiram with HM's Chief of Staff, Royal Armed Forces, Sultanate of Sulu & North Borneo (Sabah)

FOR EASIER READING, here is the transcription of the STATEMENT FROM HM Sultan Muedzul Lail T Kiram 35th Reigning Sultan, Sultanate of Sulu & North Borneo issued on 11th November 2012 pledging to defend and uphold his oath as defender of sovereignty rights over Sabah.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

TRANSCRIPTION:

STATEMENT FROM HM SULTAN MUEDZUL-LAIL T. KIRAM, 35th Reigning Sultan, Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah)


11 November 2012


TO MY FELLOW FILIPINOS, MY FELLOW TAUSUGS, AND ALL COMPATRIOTS

I am a simple man who, by birth, inherited the moral and legal responsibility left by my forebears to lead the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah).

My grandfather, Sultan Esmail Kiram I, transferred sovereignty rights over Sabah to the Republic of the Philippines on September 11, 1962. Upon his death in 1974, his eldest son, my father, Sultan Moh. Mahakuttah A. Kiram, assumed the title of Sultan in the State of Sulu and all its districts and dependencies. Upon my father's death in 1986, as his eldest son, I, the Rajahmuda (Crowned Prince), descendant of Sultan Jamalul Kiram I, founder of the Sultanate of Sulu, assumed the mantle of leadership for the Sultanate of Sulu & North Borneo (Sabah).

On September 16, 2012, the Royal Council of Elders (Rumah Bichara) of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah), officially proclaimed me the 35th Sultan of Sulu and all its districts and dependencies.

My fellow Filipinos, my fellow Tausugs, my compatriots wherever you may be, I solemnly vow to defend and uphold my oath as defender of our sovereignty rights over Sabah. With your help, I will do my very best to obtain justice so that Sabah may be returned to its rightful owners, the Tausugs, the people of Sulu and the people of the Philippines.

With your prayers and support, I, Sultan Muedzul-Lail T. Kiram, 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah), declare before you that I am prepared to retake and to uphold sovereignty rights of the Republic of the Philippines over North Borneo (Sabah).

So help me God.


HM SULTAN MUEDZUL-LAIL T. KIRAM
Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo (Sabah)

Not happy with your Filipino passport? Be patient! Pretty soon, you may just ask for an MILF (Republic?) passport

We are focusing on our debacle with China (and rightly so!!) forgetting the imminent danger to our sovereignty rights down south and that there is a realistic danger that we will find our Republic with two main provinces instead of three very soon -- and it is happening before our very own eyes!

You see, in the run up to the "new political entity" that is being designed in the soon-to-be-carved Mindanao, the Republic and the MILF will "power-share" almost everything  (outlined in the Decision Points signed by the triumvirate Chief Philippine Appeaser and Peacenicker Mr Marvic Leonen, Chief Rebel and MILF Chair Mr Iqbal and Facilitator and Chief Trouble Maker Tengku Mohammed of Malaysia), but the following are reserved for the State: 

(a) defence and external security, 

(b) foreign policy, 

(c) common market and global trade (Malaysia will be exlaiming "Yeeeehaaa! on this specific sub-point no doubt) 

(d) coinage and monetary policy, 

(e) citizenship and naturalisation (good heavens! Does that mean that many of us can opt for MILF passports soon???), 

(f) postal service. 

Fine!!! But where the State is expected to exercise sovereignty and ensure protection of the citizens of the republic is not clear because there IS NO MENTION OF internal security. And why was that omitted? Easy to surmise that someone, somewhere in that "peace talks panel" objected vehemently to power sharing in matters related to internal security -- a prelude to that new "political entity" (as detailed in Decision Point number 7) being off limits to the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Philippines. 

The absence of "internal security" point is rather alarming.

But hey, things seem to be headed the MILF way (and by extension, Malaysia way), i.e., power sharing. The prospect of independence for a vast part of Mindanao may just be in the horizon and soon the MILF may be empowered to naturalise non-Filipinos and award MILF Republic citizenship which may just be an advantage to those who believe that their Filipino passport ain't good enough... they could then opt for an MILF Republic passport!

NB: Extrapolation based on letter by  Ustadz/Prof. SHARIFF MOHSIN JULABBI, who signed  as Amer/Chairman, MILF-BMA TO THEN MALAYSIA PRIME MINISTER on ‎1st September 2004; extracts below (highlights ours):

At this juncture, only two options hereunder have been left for us and we are required already to decide and choose our prerogative, by all means: 

1) Return back Sabah to its rightful owners and be under the Federation of Malaysia as a compromise. We are considerate enough; we believe it is a win-win solution more appropriate to both Malays Bomeputra and the Suluans as brothers of the same religion. Allah says: “Muslims are just a single brotherhood.

2) The cessation or disintegration of the entire Sulu Archipelago to include Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan and North Borneo (Sabah) from both the Philippine Republic and the Federation of Malaysia and be created an Independent State as Sultanate of Sulu & North Borneo with her own government and sovereignty. 

To avoid bloodshed and for legal purposes, all past Treaties entered into between the US Governments and the Sulu & North Borneo Sultans be used as vital instruments for the creation of such State. Otherwise, worse will come to worse, God forbid. We should get lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan which are severely devastated now owing to the obstinacy and stubbornness of their leaders who imposed tyrant rules and dictatorship just for personal aggrandizement. These are all charged to experience. I am confident that relinquishing Sabah to her legitimate owners is inevitable.