19 C.Java Residents Among the Arrested Indonesians in Philippines
24 August 2016 13:06 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Semarang - The Law and Human Rights Ministry Central Java Region recorded 19 out of 177 pilgrims from Indonesia being detained in Philippines with fake passports in order to travel to the Holy Land were from Central Java.
“It has been confirmed, there are 19 people with passports issued from Central Java,” Head of Law and Human Rights Ministry Central Java Region Bambang Sumariono said in Semarang on Wednesday.
Bambang say from those 19 people, 14 originated from Semarang City and 5 from Pati District.
The passport of those 19 people are confirmed to have been officially issued by the immigration’s office.
The location of their departure to Philippine is still unknown. Its believed that they’re purpose of visit to Philippines is as tourist.
Previously, 177 Indonesian citizens were taken into custody in Philippines for using fake passports for Hajj.
Those fake passports were obtained from a group of Filipinos working in the Hajj service departure in Philippines.
By paying $6,000 - $10,000 US dollars, they can perform Hajj using reserve quota granted by the Saudi Arabian government to the Filipino pilgrims.
Evidently, those Indonesian pilgrims were forced to exit the plane as none of them spoke Tagalog.
ANTARA