TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that all Indonesians, who are the victims of a syndicate of illegal hajj travel agencies arrested in the Philippines, are currently at the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Manila.

“Three days ago, 138 Indonesians were already at the KBRI Manila facility. And on Friday evening, August 26, 2016, another 39 Indonesians were moved to the KBRI. Thus, the 177 Indonesians are already at Indonesian facility,” Retno Marsudi said Monday, August 28, 2016

Retno added that she could not confirm when the 177 Indonesians would be repatriated because the Foreign Ministry must first question the victims.

She admitted that the incident was not the first of its kind. Therefore, the Foreign Ministry would need further information to prevent recurrence of incidents in the future.

The Foreign Ministry’s main focus is protection issue. Whereas legal issue will be handled by other ministry or agency, she said. “Therefore, following the incident the foreign ministry has been coordinating with religious affairs ministry, justice and human rights ministry, the national police, etc,” Retno said.

Earlier, 177 Indonesian hajj pilgrim were detained by the Philippine immigration office, having been caught using forged documents to make hajj travel by exploiting hajj excess quota in the Philippines.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO