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(President Marcos on Sabah)
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For a topnotch lawyer such as Marcos, Sabah is historically and legally part of the Philippines, from the beginning of the 18th century, and over which, he said, the country maintains dominion and sovereignty.
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In an address before a Lions Club convention in Dagupan City in 1963 on his 1,000th day in office, Marcos harked back to an article from a newspaper during the Spanish period that gave proof the Sabah region, or what was formerly known as North Borneo, was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei in 1704 to the Sultan of Sulu as a reward for helping in suppressing a rebellion in North Borneo.
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A report of Diario Español in January 28, 1876, Marcos said, stated clearly that the Sultan of Sulu was 
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"lord of all the part of Borneo between Quimanis Point in the island of Labuan itself, and the Bay of Santa Lucia."
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The territory occupied 150 leagues off the north coast of the island of Borneo, "recognized by all statemen, including the Dutch, who were the owners of the nearest possessions," Marcos said. 
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He noted then the title of the Sultanate of Sulu over North Borneo was recognized by Spain, Great Britain and other European powers through a series of treaties entered into in the 18th and the 19th centuries.
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A crucial revelation he made was that "at least 10 to 20 documents are in the possession of the Republic of the Philippines indicating that the Sultan of Sulu was recognized as the ruler and the sovereign over North Borneo."
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It was evident then that the documents were convincing enough for Marcos to proceed with efforts to return Sabah to the Philippines.
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The succeeding administrations have not brought out these papers, which should still be stashed somewhere in a vault in Malacañang, if these were not already destroyed or made to disappear during the terms of the Aquinos, who were perceived to be close to powerful Malaysian leaders, and who are capable of employing whatever means to fend off the Philippine claim.
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Marcos gave a hint on the documents: 
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"We have based it primarily on this: that this area was leased to the two adventurers, Baron de Overbeck and Alfred Dent, one an Austrian citizen and the other an Englishman. And this lease was recognized as such, merely a lease. This lease continued because of the payment of 5,000 Malaysian dollars annually. Up to now this amount is still being deposited. If this land was not leased out by the Sultan of Sulu, why is it that up to now the rent is being paid? And the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu, of course, are quarreling as to who should receive this rent."
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Later on, the British chartered firm British North Borneo Co. assumed the lease contract for Sabah.
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Malaysia considered the annual compensations it made to the Sultanate as cession payments. It terminated the payments after the botched 2013 Lahad Datu siege in which 200 poorly armed followers of the Sulu Sultanate tried to enforce repossession.
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Marcos then quoted English statesman Lord Granville who said:
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 "The British Crown assumes no dominion or sovereignty over the territories occupied by the British North Borneo Co., nor does it purport to grant to the Company any powers of government thereover. It merely confers upon the persons associated status and incidents a body corporate, and recognizes the grants of territory and the powers of government made and delegated by the Sultans in whom the sovereignty remains vested."
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According to Marcos:
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"To put it in capsule form: it is our legal position that the Sultanate of Sulu had been recognized by the United Kingdom as the sovereign ruler of North Borneo." 
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The brilliant lawyer in Marcos then explained that even the opposition of powerful nations against the claim should not stop the Philippines from pursuing it. He pressed on:
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Sabah is historically and legally part of the Philippines - President Marcos