evidence: Opinion | Why the Philippines has no justifiable claim to Sabah and never had - Manila’s move derives from the defunct Sulu sultanate’s disputed earlier claim to North Borneo when it was still part of the Brunei Empire - As the ruling against China in the South China Sea shows, international law does not recognise claims based just on historical interpretation [...] Besides, the dates given for Sulu’s supposed annexation of North Borneo are either 1658 or 1704, two years before or more than three decades after Brunei’s civil war. The Brunei sultans in both 1658 and 1704 were not among the three who reigned over the war period. Brunei denies North Borneo coming under Sulu rule. Historical records suggest this outpost of Brunei was undeveloped, underpopulated and inhospitable at the time, especially the northeastern portion Sulu claims, and that the Sulu sultanate never occupied or administered it.