TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ambassador for the Philippines, Johnny Lumintang, has said that the Embassy is facing some difficulties in identifying the 177 Indonesian nationals detained by Manila's authorities for attempting to make the Hajj pilgrimage using Philippines passport. "To date, we have managed to identify 100 people," said Johnny to Tempo on Wednesday, August 24, 2016.

Manila's immigration authorities took into custody 177 Indonesian citizens who were due to fly to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia using stolen Philippines passports; Manila has indeed confirmed that the passports are issued by their immigration authorities, and that each passport correspondents with a Philippine citizen - but were not being used by persons other than the passport bearer.

Positive identification of each person, continued the Ambassador, will take some time because most did not have their Indonesian identification - while some others do not speak Indonesian at all. "Many were talking to each other in local dialects," said Johnny. "Worse still, Philippines authorities are now doubting whether those arrested are actually Indonesian citizens."

Other identification documentations, continued Johnny, often does not correspond with the person's claimed date of birth - for example, several were of an old age that they were unable to recall the exact date of their birth, he said.

Such identification issues have forced Indonesian authorities to take a closer look and delay the repatriation of the 177 people currently apprehended by Manila immigration authorities. "We are now waiting for Indonesian Immigration officers to arrive in the Philippines - they will be carrying fingerprint scanners which can be used to determine their identities," said Johnny.

The Indonesian Immigration officers are due to arrive in Manila later on in August 25, 2016.

MITRA TARIGAN