ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 24, 2013) – The Philippines is sending a navy ship on a humanitarian mission to the Malaysian state of Sabah in an effort to persuade members of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo who are still holed out in the town of Lahad Datu, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It said the ship, BRP Tagbanua, would be dispatched Sunday night from the capital town of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi to Lahad Datu’s village of Tanduo where Sultanate members have been surrounded by Malaysian security forces.
A statement sent by the Department of Foreign Affairs to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner said the landing craft utility would fetch and ferry back the women and other civilians among the 180-member Sultanate group holed out in Lahad Datu. It said among the group are at least 30 armed escorts.
It also notified the Malaysian Embassy in Manila about the mission that included some Muslim leaders, social workers and medical personnel.
“We sent the ship to Lahad Datu on a humanitarian mission. We are deeply concerned about the presence of five women and other civilians in the group, and we urge them to board the ship without delay and return home,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said.
“As we have stated in countless occasions previously, we call on the entire group to go back to their homes and families, even at the same time we are addressing the core issues they have raised. Please do so for your own safety.”
There was no immediate statement from the Sultanate leaders about the government plan to fetch and bring back those members headed by Raja Muda Azzimudie Kiram, a brother of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III who is demanding recognition from Malaysia.
Sabah is being claimed by the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, saying it was a gift from Brunei for quelling a rebellion many centuries ago. (Mindanao Examiner)
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