TEMPO.CO, Bogor - Foreign Minister Retno L.P Marsudi said the ministry continues its effort to repatriate 106 Indonesian hajj pilgrims who used the Philippine passports. Repatriation of 106 hajj pilgrims, who have returned from Saudi Arabia, has been suspended due to administrative issues.

“Their travel documents have been prepared by the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, but some requirements must still be met at the Philippine Department of Justice,” Retno told Tempo yesterday, October 10, in Bogor.

Despite not knowing the exact number of Indonesian who used the Philippines’ hajj quota, Retno said that October 10 would be the last date of return of hajj pilgrims batches who departed from the Philippines.

“We have yet to know the number of [Indonesians] who departed via Philippines but we can confirm that 106 [hajj pilgrims] who have returned [from Saudi Arabia] are currently at the KBRI [Indonesian Embassy],” she said.

Earlier, as many as 177 Indonesian hajj pilgrims, mostly hailed from Java, South Sulawesi and East Kalimantan, used the Philippines’ hajj quota. They were arrested by the Philippine immigration authorities as they cannot speak the local language. They were tempted to use the Philippines’ hajj quota offered by several travel agencies since they have to wait years to depart for hajj from Indonesia.

The Philippine immigration office suspected that there were 700 Indonesian who had used the Philippines’ hajj quota. Retno said that the number could be greater.

YOHANES PASKALIS