The Sabah Claim in NHCP Library Resources: Insights from the “Affairs of Sulu” Document
Date Published: June 30, 2026
By Diana A. Galang
In recent years, considerable attention has been given to the Filipino’s rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea. Scholars, legal experts, and individuals like Justice Antonio T. Carpio have undertaken extensive research to gather historical and legal evidence in support of the Philippines’ territorial claims. While public attention has largely centered on the West Philippine Sea, it is equally important to revisit another long-standing issue in Philippine history—the Philippine claim to Sabah. Filipino and foreign researchers alike have devoted sustained efforts to examining the historical, legal, and diplomatic dimensions of the Philippine claim to Sabah. Among these valuable contributions is Mr. Erwin S. Fernandez’s bibliographic essay, which seeks to bring together the existing body of literature on the subject. As he explains: “In the interest of understanding its complexity (and one cannot discount that someone might be interested in the near future), a bibliographic essay, one that lists all available literature that directly or indirectly deals with the subject, is here undertaken.”
Reading Fernandez’s research sparks interest in examining the documents, and it is fortunate that the NHCP’s Serafin D. Quiason Resource Center has in its possession a reproduction of the primary sources. This opportunity may have resulted from the membership of the former NHI Chairman in the committee, after whom the Resource Center is named. According to Fernandez, “Part One was the result of a study by an ad hoc committee composed of UP Professors Cesar Adib A. Majul, Perfecto Fernandez, and Serafin D. Quiason, among others.”
The document consists of two thick volumes containing 165 compiled correspondences and treaties entitled Affairs of Sulu. The table of contents reveals a substantial collection of communications from 1879-1884 and contains details like name or office of sendee, type of document, date, subject or summary and document page/number. The documents are assumed to be from the British Foreign Office. The bound collection records how North Borneo (original name of Sabah) became a subject of concern for different colonial authorities. The collection features consular letters, naval and admiralty reports, official memoranda, legal opinions, and political correspondence that detail ship movements, Spanish flag-hoisting incidents, and the way authority was exercised in the region. Reports from consuls and naval officers were sent to government offices, where they were carefully reviewed and discussed. Importantly, it includes documents relating to concessions granted to Alfred Dent and Baron von Overbeck, correspondence on the legality and implications of these concessions and the British government’s reactions. In short, the collection is British Foreign Office’s correspondence concerning dealings with the Sulu Sultanate, particularly regarding authority and territorial interests in North Borneo.
As a whole, these records trace the development of occupation, competing claims, and governance of this disputed territory. It is hoped that new studies will emerge and that these documents will help explain the historical basis of the Philippine claim to Sabah. Digital copies of the said documents can be accessed in the National Memory Project through the following links:
Affairs of Sulu, volume 1: https://memory.nhcp.gov.ph/?s=affairs+of+sulu#item20064_1
Affairs of Sulu, volume 2: https://memory.nhcp.gov.ph/?s=affairs+of+sulu#item20066_1
As political analysts say, the relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia has not reached its full potential due to the lingering dispute over Sabah. With ASEAN taking place in 2026, we can only hope for positive progress and that the issue may be settled. For now, let us focus on the preservation and digitization of these volumes, which are essential for providing scholars with greater access and ensuring that these materials remain available for future research.
References:
Fernandez, Erwin S. “Philippine Malaysia Dispute over Sabah: A Bibliographic Survey.” Asia Pacific Social Science Review 7, no. 1 (December 2007): 53. Accessed December 23, 2025. De La Salle University Manila. https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/pdf/research/journals/apssr/pdf/200712/4Fernandez.pdf
Hofilena, Saul Jr. Under the Stacks. Manila: Baybayin Publishing, 2011.
Lomocso, Damian M. The Truth about Sabah. Davao City : D.M. Lomocso, 1971.
Philippine claim to North Borneo. Manila : Bureau of Printing, 1964.
