Sabat began his political activity in the
Socialist Party of Chile. He was elected councillor of Valdivia in 1960 and served as mayor in 1963, a period marked by the
1960 Valdivia earthquake. In the
1969 elections, he was elected Deputy for the 22nd Departamental Group ("Valdivia, La Unión and Río Bueno"). During his mandate, he sat on the Permanent Commissions on Public Health, National Defense, Physical Education and Sports, and Internal Government. After the 1973 coup, he focused on his medical practice. With the return of democracy, he joined the
Radical Party of Chile and later the
Radical Social Democratic Party. He was elected councillor of Valdivia for the 1992–1996 and 1996–2000 terms, and served once again as mayor between 1996 and 2000. In 2003, he was declared an "Illustrious Son" of Valdivia. ==Personal life==