Anjo
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MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has authorized the return to Indonesia of 168 nationals who were arrested for illegal possession of valid Philippine passports.
Deportation proceedings for the Indoniesian nationals have been dropped, said BI Spokesperson Ma. Antonette Bucasas Mangrobang. They have left the Philippines for Indonesia via an Air Asia flight Sunday morning, September 4, at 7 am.
The remaining 9 of the arrested 177 Indonesians were released to the Indonesian Embassy but they will participate as witnesses in Philippine authorities’ probe on the illegally-issued passports. Their names will not be included in BI’s blacklist. (READ:How 177 Indonesians obtained fake Philippine passports)
Authorities are keen on filing criminal charges against the 5 Filipino escorts and the government insiders who worked with them.
"Investigation revealed that they are victims of a syndicate that facilitated their foiled pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The bureau's board of commissioners has dropped the deportation charges against them," Mangrobang said.
The Indonesians were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last August 18 as they tried to leave for Saudi Arabia for an Islamic pilgrimage.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that this move would be helpful in President Rodrigo Duterte’s meeting with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
“The President wanted to offer this release of these Indonesians before he talks to President Joko Widodo. He wants to establish goodwill to our neighboring country,” he said, noting this could also help the case of Mary Jane Veloso, who is in Indonesian death row on drug-related charges.
Widodo postponed the execution of Veloso last year, following a massive campaign to save her life. Veloso was facing a death sentence after she was caught with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in the luggage, which she claimed was just given to her by her recruiter.
