Legarda: Well-being of Filipinos in Sabah Must Be Protected

Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today stressed that as the government seeks to resolve the current situation in Sabah, it must ensure the protection of Filipinos there.

“We have Filipinos in Sabah in massive numbers. Their well-being should be one of our considerations in resolving this issue. We cannot be reckless to the point of endangering their well-being. At the end of the day, nobody wins,” she said.

In resolving the issue, Legarda explained that “our foreign policy on disputed areas is clear — what is ours is ours. For us to actively pursue this position, it is vital that we clearly define the scope and breadth of what is ours and the basis for such claims. Ownership is not defined by administrations but by legal and historical entitlements.”

“The Philippines and Malaysia have strong ties. We need to leverage on these so that we may find a lasting solution to the ongoing situation in Sabah,” Legarda concluded.***