LATEST PULSE

On December 9, the Paris Court of Appeal issued its final decision in the long-running $15 billion arbitration case brought against Malaysia by eight Filipino claimants claiming to be descendants of the former Sultanate of Sulu. The court ruled in favor of Malaysia.   The claim previously moved through courts in London, Madrid, Sabah, Luxembourg, The Hague, and Washington. Every single court ultimately rejected the case for lacking legal b...

The United States has seized a large crude oil tanker operating near Venezuela, a dramatic move that Washington says targets an illicit shipping network tied to sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, calling the vessel “the largest tanker ever seized,” but offered few details on the legal or strategic basis for the action.   Footage released on X showed US agents boarding the tank...

A routine Philippine surveillance flight over the West Philippine Sea on December 6 turned dangerous after Chinese forces fired flares toward a Filipino aircraft near Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands. The incident is the latest sign of China’s growing aggression in disputed waters.   Despite the threat, the pilot stayed on course and safely completed the mission, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. No damage was reported, but th...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the Philippine Congress to place anti-dynasty bills among its top priorities, a move that comes as his administration struggles to contain the damage from a widening corruption scandal and a family feud.   The timing has raised eyebrows. During the 2022 presidential campaign, Marcos said political dynasties were not necessarily bad and that voters should be free to keep families in power. Three year...

A cultural exchange event in Parañaque on November 26 celebrating historical ties between China’s Dezhou City and the Sulu Sultanate appears on the surface to be harmless heritage diplomacy. Around 500 guests attended, including Filipino-Chinese leaders and diplomats, praising the "21-generation friendship" between China and Sulu.   Yet the focus on the Sulu Sultanate, rather than the modern Philippines, has made analysts unea...