Gov`t Requests Relocation of Illegal Pilgrims Held in Philippines

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has initiated an endeavor to relocate 177 illegal hajj pilgrims held in the Philippines. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Armanatha Natsir said that the pilgrims are currently being probed by Philippine immigration authorities.

“They are undergoing a verification process at the Philippine detention office,” Armanatha said in Jakarta on Thursday, August 25, 2016.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry could not confirm the number of pilgrims who had passed the verification process, as it consists of a number of phases. One of them is a verbal questioning and passport verification. Armanatha said that it was impossible to repatriate the pilgrims by skipping the verification process.

Earlier, as many as 177 Indonesian hajj pilgrims were arrested by Philippine immigration authorities for using forged documents to fill the country’s hajj quota. The Foreign Affairs Ministry ensured that the pilgrims were in good conditions. Armanatha added that the government had asked Philippine authorities to relocate the pilgrims to the Indonesian Embassy in Manila to provide them with better facilities.

“They are currently discussing it at the cabinet level, and we’re waiting for the results,” Armanatha said.

ADITYA BUDIMAN