By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, April 6 (PNA) — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila M. De Lima on Monday termed as a “distortion” a report that the Philippines has given up its claim over Sabah in exchange for Malaysia’s support for the Philippines’ territorial dispute against the People’s Republic of China (PROC).
This was the reaction of De Lima on a report from VERA Files quoting a note verbale in which the Philippines allegedly downgraded its claim over Sabah in exchange for Malaysia’s support for its case against PROC before the United Nations (UN).
The note verbale was allegedly handed over by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to a representative of the Malaysian Embassy two weeks ago.
This happened a week after the visit to the Philippines of Malaysian Defense Minister Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
“Binasa ko iyon (note verbale sa VERA Files website) and then wala naman akong nakikita doon…. Wala akong nababasang ganoon sa note verbale,” De Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.
“I think misinterpretation iyong sinasabi na gini-give-up ng Pilipinas iyong claim niya sa Sabah in exchange for Malaysia’s support against China,” De Lima said.
De Lima added that the misinterpretation was a “distortion” of the supposed note verbale.
The Philippines claims ownership of Sabah, which is at present occupied by Malaysia, based on the title of the Sultan of Sulu who ceded proprietary rights over the 76,115-square-kilometer land to the Philippines in 1962.
De Lima said that it was still up to the DFA to confirm whether or not such a note verbale indeed exists. (PNA)