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Philippines to repatriate Indonesian pilgrims caught using fake passports
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks to reporters at the State Palace in Jakarta after a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Sept. 9, 2016. (JP/Ayomi Amindoni)
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hilippine President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to immediately repatriate, without legal proceedings, all the Indonesian pilgrims who entered Saudi Arabia using fake Philippine passports.
As soon as they enter into the jurisdiction of the Philippines, the newly-elected President said the government would process the issuance of Indonesian passports so they could return home.
"No problem about that. I don't intend to investigate them," he said after a bilateral meeting with President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday.
He further said he considered the pilgrims to be victims and not the willing perpetrators identity-fraud, which is a crime in the Philippines.
"They are known to be Indonesian citizens, using Philippine passports. When they arrive, we will expedite their immediate repatriation to Indonesia," Duterte told reporters.
He also said he would look for those who had exploited the pilgrims. "Those are the guys we are looking for," he explained.
Earlier, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said an estimated 500 to 700 Indonesian pilgrims traveling to Saudia Arabia for haj had entered Saudi Arabia using fake Philippine passports. The pilgrims tried to enter into Saudi Arabia on seats reserved for pilgrims from the Philippines. (ags)
