THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has suspended the issuance of hajj passports to Filipino pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia, after at least 177 Indonesians carrying Philippine passport were arrested.
During the deliberation of the DFA’s proposed 2017 budget, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay Jr. said he issued an order suspending the issuance of hajj passports pending the department’s investigation of the incident and amid the proposal to extend the validity of passports from five to 10 years.
“I am predisposed at this point to make the suspension on a permanent basis by making representations with Congress as the legislators deliberate on the law that will extend the term of the passports from five years to 10 years to have this hajj passport withdraw completely,” Yasay said.
He also said the DFA is now investigating how the 177 Indonesian pilgrims obtained Philippine hajj passports for a flight to Mecca.
“I have issued an order for the immediate suspension of the issuance of these hajj passports pending the outcome of the investigation,” Yasay said.
Most of the passports were reportedly issued at the DFA’s Consular Office at the Aseana Building in Pasay City.
He added that there was no “person-to-person contact with the actual applicant” thus, DFA officials failed to interview them “to really determine their identity and proof that they are Filipinos,” he said.
Probe
LIBERAL Party Rep. Zajid G. Mangudadatu of Maguindanao filed House Resolution (HR) 258 calling for an investigation on the reported case of 177 Indonesians using Philippine passports to participate in the hajj.
In his resolution, Mangudadatu ordered Immigration Commissioner Jaime H. Morente to file cases against the 177 Indonesians.
Mangudadatu said 177 Indonesians were arrested by Commission on Immigration authorities for disguising as Filipinos as they attempted to leave the country to participate in the hajj by using Philippine passports on August 19. “The Indonesians were about to board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 8969 bound for Madinah, Saudi Arabia, when immigration personnel stopped them, along with five Filipinos who were supposed to accompany them in their trip,” the lawmaker said.
“Morente said all of the Indonesians were found in possession of genuine Philippine passports that were apparently obtained through fraudulent means and allegedly provided by their Filipino escorts who organized the pilgrimage for $6,000 to $10,000 each person,” he said.
According to Mangudadatu the foreigners’ real identities were revealed as they could not speak Tagalog, Maranao, Cebuano or Maguindanao when interviewed by an immigration officer.
Mangudadatu said the Indonesians were given Philippine passports to enable them to join the hajj, which will run from September 9 to 14, using the quota reserved for Filipino pilgrims by the Saudi government.
DFA budget
FOR 2017, the government allocated P16.63 billion to the DFA.
Foreign Affairs acting Assistant Secretary Celeste V. Balatbat said the budget was lower than this year’s P20.55 billion.
“The budget has decreased because the fund for the 2017 hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [golden anniversary] has been transferred to the Office of the President,” she said.
“Other related expenses for maintenance have also been reduced by the DBM [Department of Budget and Management]. We have also requested for funding for retrofitting of our building but was not included in the budget for 2017,” Balatbat said.
She, however, asked Congress to reconsider the P906.9-million fund for retrofitting of DFA’s building.