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'No Indonesian agents organize pilgrims to go through Philippines'
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Muslim pilgrims arrive to circle the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 8. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
I
ndonesian travel agents did not assist haj pilgrims in traveling to Mecca via Manila, through the illegally use of Philippine passports, police claim.
The National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) is currently questioning the 106 haj pilgrims who had recently returned to Jakarta in regards to the illegal haj case being investigated in the Philippines.
Bareskrim’s general crime director Brig. Gen. Agus Andrianto claimed they had set off to the Philippines without help from travel agents in Indonesia. "They had paid themselves to go to the Philippines, no one had organized them," Agus said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com
The Indonesian citizens had received information on the possibility of going on the haj pilgrimage via the Philippines through word of mouth, Agus further said.
They had been invited by those who had in the past used the same method, he added.
They would meet with a travel agent upon arrival in the Philippines who would then arrange for their departure, including obtaining Philippine passports, the police officer explained.
"Passports were [obtained in the Philippines] with local agents. [Philippine] laws were therefore violated," Agus said.
He reiterated that an agreement between the two countries meaned legal proceedings against the pilgrim would not be carried out.
The Philippine government would only take action on the Filipino travel agents who had violated the law in relation to the case. (liz/bbn)
