House probe on Sabah standoff sought

MANILA, Philippines - A partylist congressman on Thursday asked his colleagues at the House of Representatives to call a special session that would discuss the ongoing crisis arising from the Sabah standoff.
 
"As lawmakers we should do what we can do to avert the looming mass slaughter of forces identified with the Royal Sultanate of Sulu and the... harassment of more than 800,000 Filipinos in Sabah by the Malaysian authorities,"Anakpawis partylist Rep. Rafael Mariano said.

Mariano asked House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte to call a special session next week and discuss the situation facing the 200 members of the Royal Sultanate and the rest of the Filipinos, numbering to about a million, in the hotly contested territory.

He said the occasion that would call for special session  of Congress before the Holy Week break could formulate resolutions including the official revival of the country's claim on Sabah in aid of legislation.

Congress is in the best position to identify possible diplomatic and legal remedies available for the Philippine government to keep the family and other members of the Royal Sultanate of Sulu  safe and the resumption of diplomatic talks and negotiations on issues surrounding Sabah, he added.

Mariano insisted that President Aquino should have explored all diplomatic venues to convince the Kirams and the 200 Filipinos to pursue negotiation. - Dennis Carcamo