The Philippines on Sunday dispatched a navy ship to bring back about 180 Filipinos who made their way into the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah two weeks ago to claim land they say, historically, belongs to them. A statement from the Philippine embassy in Malaysia said the navy ship would be anchored off the town of Lahad Data, 1,600 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur, where the Filipinos have been holed up since February 12. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario called on the Filipinos - which included some 30 armed escorts and five women -to leave Sabah as he assured them that the government is "addressing the core issues they have raised."
