MANILA: The Sultanate of Sulu yesterday opposed the inclusion of the Sulu archipelago in the areas to be placed under the Bangsamoro political region to be controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf).
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman for the sultanate, said the Sulu archipelago composed of the provinces of Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan are territories ancestrally owned by the Sultanate of Sulu.
According to Idjirani, the Sulu archipelago was incorporated into the Philippines in 1935 by the United States, despite an assurance given by the American government that the Sulu Sultanate would be placed under its protection. “Despite the vehement objection of (Sulu) Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s great ancestors to join the Philippines as an independent State, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and his nine living brothers and sisters and all other Kiram heirs embraced the Filipino citizens without qualifications. They are not vengeful of the acts committed against them by the United States and the Philippine Governments,” said Idjirani. He said Sulu is questioning the authority of the Aquino administration to hand over the Sulu archipelago to the Milf. Idjirani added that the Sulu Sultanate was not even consulted on the proposed inclusion of the Sulu archipelago to the Bangsamoro region.
The Philippine star
