Madrid: The High Court of Justice of Madrid has upheld its 2021 decision to annul the judicial appointment of Gonzalo Stampa as arbitrator in the Sulu case after dismissing the Sulu claimants’ attempt to revoke it.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the government’s special secretariat on the Sulu claimants’ case stated that following the court’s latest decision dated February 11, 2025, the Sulu claimants were also ordered to pay costs to the Malaysian government. The decision highlighted that the annulment request of the Sulu claimants lacked evidentiary rigour and consistency, being based on opinions and speculations from a press article rather than real evidence.

The High Court of Justice of Madrid also clarified that its magistrates were never pressured nor did they allow themselves to be influenced in any way. The decision to annul Stampa’s judicial appointment as arbitrator was based purely on legal reasons contained in the June 29, 2021 ruling, which has been final and binding since its issuance.

The statement further noted, “Malaysia welcomes this ruling from the Spanish courts, which vindicates the government’s policy to vigorously defend Malaysia in every court and forum, exercising all its powers, rights and resources to ensure the end of the Sulu Fraud and that Malaysia’s interests, sovereign immunity, and sovereignty are protected at all times.”

According to the statement, the High Court of Justice of Madrid’s decision from June 29, 2021, annulled Mr. Stampa’s judicial appointment as arbitrator and all related procedural actions in the Sulu case. The court ordered that Malaysia be properly summoned and that the proceedings for appointing a new arbitrator be restarted. This annulment was later confirmed after a failed constitutional appeal by the Sulu claimants.

In December 2023, the Sulu claimants filed a brief before the High Court of Justice of Madrid attempting to annul its June 29 decision to nullify Stampa. Their case was based solely on a press article alleging political pressure from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to economic interests with Malaysia. Malaysia opposed this annulment request, deeming the Sulu claimants’ brief baseless.