Re-enforcement news for Filipino Tausug fighters in Sabah

A screen capture of TV news coverage lifted from Philippine Sabah Claim Forum.

The Filipino Tausugs have always been known for their courage since time immemorial. Kuala Lumpur politicians do not begin to understand that they are in trouble and they are in it for the long haul.

Despite the strange collaborative arrangement between Malacanang and Putrajaya to the effect that a naval blockade was organised to stop Filipino Tausugs from Mindanao going to the rescue of their belleaguered fellow fighters in Sabah, re-enforcement was able to slip through. 

'Cavalry' is on the way with re-enforcement for the Filipino Tausug group fighting in Sabah against foreign occupation that's embodied by greedy Peninsular Malaysia politicians and their Malaysia troops who are about to be tested in a protracted warfare. 

Another good news: Battle is also being waged for Supreme Court attention

"...taxpayer Louis Biraogo filed with the Supreme Court of the Philippines a 17-page petition for writ of mandamus, urging the high court to order Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario to elevate the claim to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.  

"Biraogo also hit Malacanang: “Instead of helping the Filipinos who went to Sabah, the Philippine government threatened them with legal action in Philippine courts. Worse, President Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy) concurred in the decision of the Malaysian government to brand as terrorists the Filipino supporters of the Sultan of Sulu who went to Sabah.”

A letter to President Aquino on the Kuala Lumpur sponsored circus trial of eight Filipinos

A letter to the President of the Philippines (in picture) 

Subject: The Kuala Lumpur sponsored soon-to-be circus trial (in picture right) of the eight Filipinos charged with terrorism, including two of them who were also charged with waging a war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia).

Mr President, 

You virtually went on bended knees crawling before China authorities to spare the lives of some convicted drug mules on the pretext that every Filipino life is important.

But sadly, that personal doctrine of yours (or was that perhaps just for show?) went straight into the rubbish bin when it came to Sabah and to your friendship with Najib. You implied that your peace deal with the MILF which Kuala Lumpur has been engineering for you - but which was, in reality, a Malaysian strategical ploy for you to bury the Sabah claim - took premium over the lives of the peaceful Suluks who went to Sabah to stake their claim.

Instead of reassuring the Suluks, you disowned and publicly humiliated them on nationwide television, parroting the lines of Najib who literally was crapping all over you, over your manhood, over your dignity - AND THIS NATION's DIGNITY, even as Malaysians themselves were surprised that you had become Najib's spokesman.

Incidentally, Mr President, you may not know it - or may have chosen to ignore it, your friend and bogus "peace" engineer Najib Razak is the son of former Malaysia prime minister Tunku Abdul Razak who hated PH so much after your own Daddy (RIP) denounced Operation Merdeka back in the late 60s that he (Najib's Daddy) began funding the MNLF and MILF rebellion in the South.

Mr President, lest you forget, it was a foreign military with seven battalions of troops armed to the teeth who, upon orders of a foreign government (never mind if the leader of that foreign government was your best friend), launched the attack on the Filipino Tausugs in Tanduo and not the other way around as you and your brilliant advisers would like the public to believe.

Today, you stand accused in the court of public opinion of betrayal of trust, of violating your oath as president of the Republic, of de facto burying the nation's Sabah claim, of inaction in time of crisis, and even of cowardice, but Mr President, you can still redeem some of the remaining shreds of dignity this nation has left by fighting for our people who are facing the wrath of a foreign government and its armies that are occupying Sabah which, as you have now been told, is Philippine territory by PH law by virtue of Republic Act 5446.

If you choose to continue ignoring the plight and the human rights abuses heaped against our fellowmen in Sabah by a foreign government and its armed component, heaven help you Mr President but you will go down in history as the most ignoble and morally corrupt leader this country has ever known. But if you turn around now and show a brave face against the officials of Kuala Lumpur in defence of your people, you just might end up a hero in public eyes.

Think about it Mr President! It's never too late to show even a sliver of courage.

Thank you, Mr President.

We remain,

~~ Defenders of the Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims
21 March 2013

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REPORT: The eight accused Filipinos were among 107 suspected Sulu gunmen or suspected local supporters of the Kirams who were arrested by Malaysian security forces in sweeps in the districts of Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak, Sandakan and Semporna.
Radio 24 confirmed that as in Wednesday’s arraignment, none of the accused entered any plea.

Radio 24 said Malaysian Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail led prosecution.

Like the Sabah-based radio station, Radio 24 said no lawyer assisted the accused during both proceedings.

Radio 24 reported the judge as ordering the attrorney general to determine whether defense lawyers will be “appointed by the Bar Council of Malaysia, the Philippine government or the accused themselves.”

Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/69799/seven-of-eight-filipinos-brought-to-sabah-court-in-straightjackets#ixzz2OAkpCkWJ 

"But what do you want me to do?" asks President Aquino and we say, "Get bloody cracking, Mr Presideent!"

If the President continues to support - and by his inaction implicitly lauds - Prime Minister Najib's 'slaughter-the-Filipino-Tausugs-to-the-last-man-in-Sabah' doctrine, Najib will be emboldened to send Malaysia troops to seize every walking male Tausug within Sulu itself. Is this what this President want to happen?

The advisers of this not-so-bright president are equally to blame for the way this Sultanate Sabah business has been and is still being mishandled.

Don't the bright members of the President's entourage realise that Najib and his Kuala Lumpur cohorts will take President Aquino's wishy-washy stand, asking the Filipino nation - in time of national crisis - a most stupid question "But what do you want me to do?" as a license to go ahead and commit human rights abuses to every Filipino in Sabah?

Malaysia police and troops have begun rounding up Sabahan MyKad holders of Filipino Tausug extraction. And only God knows what abuses are being inflicted on them by the Malaysia Internal Security Act agents and on the displaced Filipinos who have no official identities in Sabah?

Don't the advisers to the President realise that this tetanised attitude of the President is a go signal for Malaysia to infiltrate Southern Philippines? That Najib, not a bright man himself, might take it in his head to attempt a much bolder step if he thinks Aquino has his back? Must the President wait until Malaysia military elements have crossed the Sea and landed on Sulu to snatch Tausugs before he realises that Najib's intentions are far from being honourable?

We need not remind the President and his brightest of the bright advisers that members of the Malaysian armed forces led by a senior star-ranking military officer are already in Mindanao for purposes of 'supervising' the Malaysia-engineered GPH-MILF framework agreement. It is easy to use that excuse to bring in Malaysian elements to do some serious dirty work.

Today, even Government doesn't know exactly how many Malaysian military people are already in Mindanao. But we have no doubt that immediately after the landing of the Sultanate Tausug fighters in Lahad Datu, Najib and Home Minister Hisham sent Malaysian military police intel and military elements  in disguise to Sulu and to the neighbouring provinces to "monitor" events in Southern Mindanao. They will not be dressed in military camouflage uniform but will be there.

The President has a duty to the country. He swore an oath to protect and defend the citizens of this country. There are no 'buts,' no 'becauses', no 'waits'... He can still stop the carnage and the abuses being inflicted on Filipinos, figthers and civilians, in Sabah by calling a Malaysia-PH summit to face the problem that has haunted the two countries for 51 years: the Philippine Sabah claim and the Republic's contractual obligation to represent the Sultanate of Sulu, the Tausugs and the Filipino nation in the International Court of Justice.

Mr President, we have just answered your "But what do you want me to do?" Now, get bloody cracking!

~~ Admins, Philippine Sabah Claim Forum 
07 March 2013

Poster by PSCF

Cory Aquino and Nur Misuari

AT THE END OF THE DAY, NUR MISUARI CAN BE A 'SOFTIE'... NO! NO! That's not meant to malign the MNLF founder and legendary Tausug warrior but merely to say that he is human and appreciates, like many of us, respect and a minimum of courtesy. 

That was actually my reaction after reading a news report in today's Freeman that said, "The stance of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari against the framework agreement may soon soften as a result of the Aquino administration's "talks" with the leader of the former rebel group."

It reminded me of a story that no less than current DND Secretary Voltz Gazmin likes to tell, that of the 1986 historic meeting between the late President Cory Aquino and the legenderary warrior -- or an incident just before the meeting, when she broke protocol and flew to Sulu to sue for peace with the MNLF. Voltz Gazmin, who was then CG, Presidential Security Group, tells the story often enough to highlight the courageous streak in the late president but which also gave us an insight into Misuari's innate Tausug character.

Voltz Gazmin recounted that the event was due to take place right in MNLF lair and as commanding general of the presidential security command, he was naturally apprehensive for the security of the chief executive. The life of the president was in his hands. He remarked that the president felt almost no fear and trusted that she would be able to achieve what she had set out to do. But he did not trust the MNLF, Misuari or not Misuari, to get anywhere near the president especially in Sulu where he would be severely outnumbered if things went wrong. But one thing he did say was that from the onset of the meeting between Cory and Misuari, the Tausug rebel exuded a very courteous demeanour towards the president, almost humble, perhaps, honoured and impressed that the president, a woman to boot, would have the courage to show up in "enemy country."

After a brief courteous exchanges, and just as the serious part of the discussions was about to begin, Mrs Aquino did the most unexpected thing -- which had not been planned at all; she ordered everyone out of the conference room except for a note taker. She decided that she was going to speak to Nur Misuari one-on-one. Voltz was naturally caught off guard. He was adamant that he did not want to leave the president alone with the rebel Tausug Misuari and insisted to be present with the president. But the president refused Gazmin's remonstrances. She was determined that they should be left alone to discuss the proecess of peace. She tried to reassure the PSG chief that everything would be alright and ordered him to leave.

With his heart trepidating, he left and waited outside the conference room. After nearly an hour, the president called for staff and the commander of the PSG. Alongside a meek-looking Nur Misuari, the president announced that they had come to an agreement to go forward to settle matters towards peace. According to Gazmin, he was left speechless. He saw Nur Misuari almost appearing like a lamb, acting with great deference to the president, in other words, respectful.

Cory Aquino left an indelible image of courage and fortitude in General Voltz Gazmin. But unknown to him, he left me personally with the appreciation that Nur Misuari, despite the rhetorics, is a reasonable man, a fierce but also gentle Tausug warrior. And that was what the MNLF commander was like when I finally met him for the first time back in the 90s. 

At the end of the day, negotiating for the much abused 'just and lasting peace' with the 'Moros' may just be possible through Nur Misuari. All it would take is to give him the respect he and his people deserves. 

By Anne de Bretagne
For The Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
24 October 2012

BEWARE OF INDIVIDUALS POSING ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES LIKE OMAR KIRAM AND DATU FUAD KIRAM

WHO SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SABAH NATIVES? FILIPINO SABAHANS OR MALAYSIANS IN SABAH?

SO THE PHILIPPINE TAUSUGS BORN AND BRED IN SABAH ARE NOT NATIVES OF SABAH BECAUSE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO PENINSULAR MALAYSIA IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS?????

Bungling buffoons! Malaysians are bungling buffoons! Sabah's sovereignity belongs to the Republic of the Philippines by virtue of a formal and legal transfer made by its legal owners, the Sultanate of Sulu. The Malaysians have no more right than my dog to declare who is native of Sabah and who is not.

This is grotesque in the extreme: Native status: Opening a Pandora’a Box | Free Malaysia Today http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/03/30/native-status-opening-a-pandoraa-box/ www.freemalaysiatoday.com

"In Sabah, the natives of the Sulu Islands, once one with the eastern seaboard of Sabah, and the natives of Malaya, Singapore, the Indonesian Islands, Brunei and Sarawak can qualify as natives “provided not subject to immigration restrictions”.

"The Federal Constitution does not state the Malay-speaking communities, collectively referred to as Malays, are natives. The Sabah Ordinance clearly refers, among others, to the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia."

The children of displaced Filipinos born in Sabah are maltreated, abused, left to fend for themselves without the least bit of protection or attention whether in terms of education or health care, their basic human respects disregarded and are treated like rats by Peninsular Malaysia.