Robin Fights Anew for PH Rights Over Sabah

Amid its efforts to assert its rights over its territory in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines must do the same for Sabah, Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla stressed Tuesday night.

Padilla, in his interpellation of the bill on the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act, said Sabah has many natural resources that can be used by Filipinos, especially those in Muslim Mindanao.

"Ganoon din nating ipaglaban ang ating karapatan sa Sabah. Hindi ito usapin lang ng maliit na isla. Ito, malaking lupa ito. Ito ay may langis, may minerals (at) talagang dapat nakikinabang ang Pilipino sa Sabah ngayon pa lang. Paano natin ginigiit sa isla sa West Philippine Sea, dapat ay igiit natin ang karapatan natin sa Sabah pero di tayo humihingi ng gulo (We must fight for our rights in Sabah. We are talking not of small islands but of a large land mass with oil and minerals that we Filipinos have rights to. If we can assert our rights in the West Philippine Sea, so must we do the same but in a peaceful manner)," he said.

He noted the Philippines already has a law - Republic Act 5446, signed in August 1968 - that regards Sabah as a territory over which the Philippines has acquired "dominion and sovereignty."

In his first privilege speech in 2022, Padilla pushed for the Philippines to assert its rights over Sabah.

Because of this, Padilla said he intends to propose an amendment on the definition of baselines under the Maritime Zones bill, to include the Philippines' position on Sabah which was provided for under RA 5446.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, who sponsored the bill for the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act, agreed to include a line that the Philippines is not abandoning its claim to Sabah, so long as it is phrased properly.

"Kung magagawa ng tamang lengwahe ang pag amyenda di ako tututol ... as long as it will strengthen not just the bill but our resolve that what is rightfully ours should be ours (If we can phrase it properly, I will not object to the amendment, so long as it will strengthen not just the bill but our resolve that what is rightfully ours should be ours)," he said.

Robin, Ipinaglaban Muli ang Karapatan ng Pilipinas sa Sabah

Sa gitna ng pagsisikap nito para igiit ang karapatan sa West Philippine Sea, dapat may pareho ring pagpupunyagi ang Pilipinas para sa Sabah, ayon kay Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla nitong Martes ng gabi.

Ani Padilla sa kanyang interpellation sa panukalang batas para sa Philippine Maritime Zones Act, maraming natural resources ang Sabah na dapat pinapakinabangan ng mga Pilipino, lalo na ang mga nasa Muslim Mindanao.

"Ganoon din nating ipaglaban ang ating karapatan sa Sabah. Hindi ito usapin lang ng maliit na isla. Ito, malaking lupa ito. Ito ay may langis, may minerals (at) talagang dapat nakikinabang ang Pilipino sa Sabah ngayon pa lang. Paano natin ginigiit sa isla sa West Philippine Sea, dapat ay igiit natin ang karapatan natin sa Sabah pero di tayo humihingi ng gulo," aniya.

Ayon sa mambabatas, may batas na noon pang Agosto 1968 - Republic Act 5446 - na itinuturing ang Sabah na teritoryo kung saan may "dominion and sovereignty" ang Pilipinas.

Noon pang unang privilege speech ni Padilla noong 2022, itinulak na niya na igiit ang karapatan nito sa Sabah.

Dahil dito, balak ni Padilla na panukalain ang amendment sa proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act na isama sa definition ng baselines ang position ng Pilipinas sa Sabah sa ilalim ng RA 5446.

Payag naman si Sen. Francis Tolentino na nag-sponsor ng panukalang Philippine Maritime Zones Act na dagdagan ang linya na hindi inaabandona ng Pilipinas ang claim nito sa Sabah, basta't tama ang pagkagawa nito.

"Kung magagawa ng tamang lengwahe ang pag amyenda di ako tututol ... as long as it will strengthen not just the bill but our resolve that what is rightfully ours should be ours," ani Tolentino.

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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8ILbSwJ-Mg&feature=youtu.be