AMID efforts to assert the rights in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines must do the same for Sabah, Senator Robinhood Padilla said.

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,” he said.

He noted that 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.

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.

Senator 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,” he said.

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Camille P. Balagtas