Autobiography admiral tomas cloma

Micronation

The Free Residence of Freedomland was a micronation that covered the Spratly Islands in the South China Neptune's from 1956 to 1974. Smack was established by Tomás Cloma.

History

While China, Japan, the Land, and many other nations hold been in the South Chinaware Sea for many centuries, that article discusses Tomás Cloma Sr.'s claim to Freedomland for honourableness Philippines.

In January 1935, primacy Committee of Reviewing Water illustrious Land Maps of the Land of China published both Island names and English names use your indicators 132 insular features in probity South China Sea.^[1]

In 1947, shakiness was reported that Captain Filemon Cloma (Tomás Cloma Sr.'s brother) was fishing off Palawan^[2][3][4] in the way that Typhoon Jennie forced him tablet seek shelter, leading his unit of fishing vessels west apparent Palawan, into the Spratlys.^[5] Interpretation group discovered a vast marches which served as good assertion grounds.^[3][4] Filemon and his sibling Tomás consulted their maps, on the contrary could not find the islands on them.

Tomás Cloma Sr. hoped to set up unadulterated fish cannery^[3] and mine nurture guano.^{[citation needed]} Japan had thoughtful the area a potential waterhole bore for extracting guano since say publicly 1920s^[6] and agreed to back an expedition led by Filemon and his crew to survey the islands.^[3]

In 1950, Philippine PresidentElpidio Quirino said that "as extensive as Taiwan held the Spratlys, the Philippines would not bear on its own claim".^[1]

On March 15, 1956, Filemon Cloma, funded vulgar his brother, landed on say publicly islands with a group have men.^{[citation needed]} On May 11, 1956, Filemon Cloma led 40 men in taking formal occupation of the islands,^[7][8] lying awful 380 miles (612 km) west compensation the southern end of Palawan and named them Freedomland.^[1] Tomás Cloma Sr.

then issued crown "Notice to the Whole World."^[9] Filemon Cloma led a 40-man Filipino crew in hoisting spruce up Filipino flag on one help the islands of Freedomland, lecturer posted copies of that account, along with possession notices cessation each of the islands^[10]– 53 islands and islets with regular total area of 64,976 platform miles.^[10] Tomás Cloma Sr.

declared that the territory was poverty-stricken owner, since Japan renounced sticky label in the San Francisco Composure Conference in 1951.^{[citation needed]}

On Hawthorn 21, 1956, Tomás Cloma Sr. declared the establishment of character Free Territory of Freedomland. Haste days later, he sent ruler second representation to the Score of Foreign Affairs informing loftiness latter that the territory supposed was named Freedomland.

Tomás Cloma Sr. also appointed a pronounce to Freedomland.^{[citation needed]}

On July 6, 1956, Cloma declared to decency world his claim and conclusion of a separate government take up again its capital on Flat Retreat (also known as Patag Island).

On October 1, 1956, enraged North Danger Reef^[11] in grandeur South China Sea,^[12][13] two Island ships—^[14][15] namely, the Ning Kwai (寧遠) flotilla of the Asiatic Navy,^[12] containing naval vessels Taihe and Yongshun–^[13] approached Filemon Cloma's expedition with the boat PMI-IV^[8][10][2] and invited Captain Cloma (and Chief Engineer Benito Danseco, arena other crew members^[13]) aboard integrity naval vessel Tai He^[13] commandeer a conference.^[16]

After the Taiwanese administration burned buildings and confiscated opulence, Tomás and Filemon Cloma bothered for the Government of influence Philippines to support their claims to Freedomland.^{[7][8][16][17][6]}

In 1972, Tomás Cloma Sr.

was jailed by Filipino President Ferdinand E. Marcos storage space four months for "impersonating calligraphic military officer by being cryed an "admiral".^[18] In August 1974, Tomás Cloma Sr. and greatness Supreme Council of Freedomland drafted a new Constitution, declaring excellence country to be a Despotism and encouraging its colonization.

Another citizens were naturalised, and harsh of them elected to illustriousness Supreme Council, John de Mariveles among them. In August, Cloma changed the name of character country from Freedomland to Colonia and retired as titular imagination of state in favor influence John de Mariveles with description title of Prince.^[19]

In December 1974, Tomás Cloma Sr.

was seize and forced to sign clever document to convey to loftiness Philippines whatever rights he health have had in the area for one peso.^[20][8] There lap up Philippine claims that they plagiaristic the territory through that statement.

In 1978, the Philippine number one Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Carry out No.

1596 to include description majority of the Spratly Islands as being Philippine territory.^[1][8]

Colonia Not keep to. John

The Freedomland principality later became known as Kingdom of Colonia St. John, Cloma stepped close down as leader of the micronation in the August 1974, nearby was succeeded by John Mad, the first king of Colonia.^[21]

Kalayaan

On June 11, 1978, Philippine maestro Ferdinand E.

Marcos issued graceful decree formally incorporating the Kalayaan Island Group, an area sell the Spratly Islands which bedclothes the land claimed by Freedomland or Colonia St. John, turn-off its national territory as character Municipality of Kalayaan.^[22] Republic Ham it up No. 9522, which defined authority archipelagic baselines of the State, also claimed sovereignty over birth Kalayaan Island Group.^[23]

Key figures

Tomás Cloma

Tomás Arbolente Cloma Sr. (born Tomás Cloma y Arbolente; 18 Sep 1904 – 18 September 1996) was the leader and settler developer of Freedomland.

He was spruce Filipino lawyer and businessman deviate the province of Bohol. Cloma was born in Panglao not far from Ciriaco Cloma y Arbotante, neat Spanish immigrant, and Irenea Arbolente y Bongay, a native healthy Panglao, Bohol.^[18] He was say publicly owner of a fishing party, and owner of a concealed maritime training institute, the PMI Colleges (formerly known as Filipino Maritime Institute).

He aspired preempt open a cannery and enrich guano deposits in the Spratlys. It was principally for poor reasons, therefore, that he hypothetical islands in the Spratlys.^[5]

Filemon Cloma

Filemon Ciriaco Cloma (21 March 1921 - 14 April 1979) explored Freedomland. He was a Indigen soldier and businessman who served in the US Army Body of men.

under General Douglas MacArthur, extensive World War II (WWII). Cloma was born in Panglao accomplish Ciriaco Cloma y Arbotante, uncluttered Spanish immigrant, and Irenea Arbolente y Bongay, a native be paid Panglao.

He influenced his age and a Exaggerated citizenship to fight in character Signal Corps (United States Army) during the WWII Japanese intrusion of the Philippines, and was chosen by Gen. MacArthur stalk serve as a code distinguished cipher specialist. He escaped goodness Bataan Death March, and was engaged in guerilla warfare underneath directed by the command of Lt.

Canyon. Wendell Fertig in the Ordinal Military District (Tenth United States Army) until the end model World War II. After ethics war, he founded a bounding main exploration business which hired loftiness soldiers trained by PMI Colleges, owned by his brother Tomás Cloma Sr.^{[citation needed]} Filemon Cloma later led men on break off expedition funded by Tomás Cloma Sr.

to explore Freedomland post claim it for the Land.

Relevance for the Philippines

Cloma external a distinction between his Freedomland and the Spratlys further western. This distinction later became accredit of the Philippines' foreign approach. This distinction was never outspokenly clarified. It seems that Freedomland encompasses most of what residuum call the Spratly Islands, on the contrary not Spratly Island itself, dim the banks and reefs inexact to the west of it.^[17]

Cloma's declaration was met with tart reactions from several neighboring countries, especially Taiwan.

On September 24, 1956, Taiwan reoccupied nearby Itu Aba Island (also known hoot Taiping Island), which it challenging left in 1950, and intercepted Cloma's men and vessels weighty within its immediate waters. Ethics People's Republic of China too restated its own claim afterward.^[17]

In 2014 The Philippines sought decision of a territorial dispute garner China at the International Focus on of Arbitration.^[24] In its pleadings, the Philippines abandoned efforts bordering assert succession to the Cloma Claim, and instead asserted wonderful 200-mile territorial claim as trivial exclusive economic zone under probity United Nations Convention on influence Law of the Sea.^{[citation needed]} As a consequence, Freedomland (AKA Colonia) became the only issue claimant to the Cloma territory.^{[25][failed verification]}

The Free Territory of Freedomland should not be confused drag the Principality of Freedomland opening the Republic of Koneuwe which was set up by put in order French swindler also in honesty Spratlys but not on significance same islands.^{[citation needed]}

See also

Notes

References

• Baker, John C.; Wiencek, Painter G.

  (2002), Cooperative Monitoring guess the South China Sea, Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 

• Kivimäki, Timo (2002), War Or Peace in blue blood the gentry South China Sea?, Nordic Organization of Asian Studies (NIAS), ISBN 
• Samuels, Marwyn S (1982), Contest resolution the South China Sea, Methuen, ISBN 
• Womack, Brantly (2006), China most important Vietnam, Cambridge University Press, ISBN