The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague ruled yesterday that the Philippines cannot intervene in a territorial dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia, saying Manila had failed to show it had a clear interest in the case.

The Philippines wanted to intervene because any decision on sovereignty over the islands of Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipidan, situated off the coast of Sabah, could have a bearing on its dormant territorial claim on parts of North Borneo.

Presiding judge Gilbert Guillaume said the court decided the Philippines did not demonstate "any interest of a legal nature that warrants intervention".