Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – Acontece que no es poco | El extravagante litigio del sultán de Joló contra España

Host: SER Podcast
Date: January 8, 2026
Episode Theme:
A humorous and critical look at an intricate international legal dispute that, beginning with colonial dealings in the late 19th century in the Philippines and Borneo, unexpectedly landed modern Spain in the crosshairs of a €16 billion lawsuit by the heirs of the Sultan of Joló.

Episode Overview

Nieves Concostrina guides listeners through a whirlwind story that starts with arcane colonial contracts in Southeast Asia and ends, by convoluted legal twists, with Spain facing a claim for billions from heirs of a now nearly forgotten sultan. With her trademark humor and biting commentary, Nieves “desembrolla” (untangles) this labyrinthine tale to show how decisions and disputes from centuries past can still threaten the pockets of present-day Spaniards.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Should This Matter to Spaniards?

(01:56 – 03:56)

• Public Money at Risk: Nieves underscores that if Spain had lost the litigation, the Spanish public would have been responsible for €16 billion—a staggering sum of taxpayer money.
• Clarification: Many don’t grasp what “fondo público” means; she drolly laments the indifference some show toward public assets and how these losses directly impact citizens, not some faceless “other.”

“Es el dinero que entregamos nosotros para que repercuta en servicios para nosotros, no para que Ayú se engorde los bolsillos de Quirón Salud y Ribera Salud y se compre áticos con su novio.”
— Nieves Concostrina, (02:57)

2. Back to 19th Century Colonial Borneo & Spanish Philippines

(04:45 – 10:05)

• Sultanato de Joló/Sulú: In 1878, the Sultanate ruled parts of the Sulu archipelago and the northern tip of Borneo. At the time, the Spanish Empire also staked claims in the region.
• The Lease or Concession Confusion: The Sultan rented (“arrendar” or “conceder”?) the North Borneo territory to a German-British syndicate. Confusion over the meaning of the Malayan word “pajacán” in the contract (lease vs. concession) sowed the seeds for all future disputes.

“Hay una palabra… que unos lingüistas dicen que en su momento significaba arrendamiento y otros… concesión. No tiene nada que ver. La cosa cambia muchísimo.”
— Nieves Concostrina, (07:33)

• Colonial Shifts: After decades, North Borneo (Sabah) became a British colony (1946), then part of Malaysia (1963).

3. The Heirs Strike Back: Oil, Invasion & Lawsuits

(10:12 – 11:46)

• Malaysian Incorporation & Petrodollars: When oil is discovered in the 1980s, the Sultán’s heirs assert property claims, insist the territory was only leased, and demand it back or proper payment.
• Failed Invasion: In a dramatic, bizarre episode, 235 armed descendants attempted to “reclaim” North Borneo, resulting in 14 deaths and Malaysia terminating all symbolic payments.

“Reúnen a unos cuantos pandilleros armados, exactamente a 235 tíos… a invadir el norte de Borneo… Hubo 14 muertos. Ya está.”
— Nieves Concostrina, (11:06)

4. How Did It Get to Spain?

(12:11 – 14:26)

• Spain Caught in the Crossfire: Because the original sultanate was once under Spanish colonial control, and the 1885 Protocolo de Madrid involved Spain, legal disputes ended up in Madrid courts.
• Legal Labyrinth: Madrid’s Tribunal Superior accepted an arbitration in 2019. The first Spanish arbitrator awarded €13 billion to the Sultan’s heirs against Malaysia—but was removed mid-process due to procedural irregularities.

“El árbitro no se estaba quieto. Los herederos jololeños denunciaron a España porque al inhibirse del caso estaba obstaculizando el proceso…”
— Nieves Concostrina, (13:41)

• Lawsuit Against Spain: Absurdly, the heirs’ lawyers then sued Spain, claiming Madrid’s withdrawal from the legal process made their indemnity impossible—upping the ask to €16 billion.

“Ahora queremos en vez de 13.000 millones, queremos 16.000 por retraso y por todo. Y bueno, el caso es que han perdido, pero es que podrían haber ganado.”
— Nieves Concostrina, (14:30)

• Resolution: Ultimately, the World Bank’s investment dispute center sided with Spain; the country dodged an enormous and arbitrary bill.
• Systemic Impact: The legal circus cast clouds on international arbitration’s reputation—some judges called it “muy, muy, muy grave.”

Notable Quotes & Commentary

• “Dicho así, esto es un peñazo insufrible que aparentemente no interesa a nadie, salvo a los afectados.”
  — Nieves Concostrina, on the technical description of the legal dispute (01:31)

• “España llega a perder ese litigio internacional, los españoles tendríamos que haber pagado 16.000 millones de euros. 16.000. Era nuestro dinero.”
  — Nieves Concostrina, stressing the real risk (03:37)

• “El tema era muy gordo y dijeron… ahora queremos en vez de 13.000 millones, queremos 16.000…”
  — Nieves Concostrina, on the escalation of claims (14:28)

• “Por suerte para nosotros, se ha quedado en nada.”
  — Host’s summary relief (00:33)

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:21 – 01:47 — Introduction to the “extravagant” and seemingly remote legal case, explanation of why it matters
• 01:56 – 03:56 — Importance of public money and potential consequences for Spain
• 04:45 – 10:05 — Colonial dealings in Borneo/Sulu, origins of the legal mess
• 10:12 – 11:46 — Oil, symbolic payments, and failed armed action by Sultan’s heirs
• 12:11 – 14:26 — Madrid becomes site of arbitration, legal confusion, and escalation to a lawsuit against Spain
• 14:26 – 15:13 — Resolution in Spain’s favor, grave commentary on the arbitral process

Memorable Moments & Closing Remarks

• Nieves’s playful breakdown of convoluted legal jargon and her exasperation with the sometimes “insufferable” legal world.
• The bizarre escalation: from a minor colonial contract to a failed invasion, and finally to a near cataclysmic court case in Madrid.
• Ongoing references to the real-world impact of apparently abstract historical disputes—and the political opportunism that can follow.

“Yo supongo, incluso ya con guasa, que esa parte nutrida de españoles desinformados habrían echado la culpa a Pedro Sánchez, aunque… no había nacido en el siglo XIX.”
— Nieves Concostrina, (04:53)

Conclusion

Through wit and irony, Nieves Concostrina transforms what could have been a dry legal saga into a vivid, cautionary tale about historical legacies, the consequences of colonial agreements, and the direct line between distant history and today’s taxpayers. Ultimately, Spain dodged a multi-billion-euro bullet—but the story serves as a warning about how the past can come back with very expensive interest.