Geopolitical games continue

Heirs, pretenders, conmen, oh my! The columnist on Jolo island in Sulu province last week with a security detail provided by the Special Action Force of the Philippines National Police. — Photo provided

LAST week, I was in Manila, Zamboanga City, Jolo Island in Sulu Province, and Davao City for a fortnight to meet with possibly legitimate descendants of the Sulu Sultan’s family as well as pretenders to the throne and conmen. I was even verbally awarded a “Datu” title by a “Queen of Sulu and North Borneo”.

It was the first anniversary of the time arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa, from Spain, ordered Putrajaya to pay US$14.92bil (RM62.6bil) to the descendants of a Sulu Sultan in a case heard in France – one in which Malaysia did not participate.