Zubiri recounts that 177 prospective Hajj pilgrims were stopped from departing the Philippines for KSA in August 18 because immigration officials discovered that they were carrying Philippine travel documents but could not speak Filipino or any Filipino dialect. "They were detained, and it was soon discovered that they were in fact not Filipinos, but Indonesian nationals who were carrying authentic, albeit fraudulently obtained, Philippine passports or travel documents," he said.
"The Indonesians are said to have paid as much as 131 million Indonesian rupiah, or about 460,000 pesos or US$10,000 to illegal travel agencies who facilitate their Hajj journey, which fee includes a Philippine passport*," he said.
Zubiri explained that KSA imposes a quota on Hajj pilgrims from each country. "Indonesia, having the largest Muslim population in the world, quickly fills up its quota. As such, Indonesians must wait up to 37 years before they can perform the Hajj*. Contrast that with the Philippines, where our Hajj quota is rarely filled," he said.
"Some of our Filipino Muslim brothers reveal that the Philippine delegation to Mecca during Hajj always includes foreign nationals. Unscrupulous people have taken advantage of the situation by coming up with an elaborate scheme to provide fraudulent passports to prospective pilgrims."
Zubiri noted that non-Filipinos have been able to obtain Philippine passports, when Filipinos have had difficulty doing so. "This fraudulent scheme damages the integrity of our passports and casts doubt on its reliability," he said.
Zubiri noted that non-Filipinos have been able to obtain Philippine passports, when Filipinos have had difficulty doing so. "This fraudulent scheme damages the integrity of our passports and casts doubt on its reliability," he said.
Zubiri also alluded to irregularities in the way the passports had been issued, noting that reports said the passports had been issued on the strength of paperwork from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF)**. "Has the NCMF been so careless, or is their procedure so lax, that they issue certifications to non-Filipinos? Or are they more deeply involved in this fraudulent processing scheme, which has allegedly been institutionalised in the Commission?***" he asked.
"Likewise, other official documents such as birth certificates were allegedly issued by local civil registrars as part of the requirements to obtain the passports. I wish to stress that these are not fake, but genuine documents containing false information, which were issued by government offices."
Zubiri has called for Senate committees to conduct an investigation. "There is a real and urgent need to put a halt to this elaborate scheme, which involves government officers and employees who make a mockery of official processes, and in effect, prey on our Muslim brethren, as well as jeopardise and comprise our country's primary travel document, making it an easy accessory for the perpetration of crime and acts of terrorism," he said.
*http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia/bahasa/englishedition/143949-pilgrims-philippine-passport-hajj
**http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/579422/news/pinoyabroad/dfa-suspends-issuance-of-hajj-passports-amid-probe-on-177-indonesians
***http://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/p200-m-passport-scam-bared
Zubiri has called for Senate committees to conduct an investigation. "There is a real and urgent need to put a halt to this elaborate scheme, which involves government officers and employees who make a mockery of official processes, and in effect, prey on our Muslim brethren, as well as jeopardise and comprise our country's primary travel document, making it an easy accessory for the perpetration of crime and acts of terrorism," he said.
*http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia/bahasa/englishedition/143949-pilgrims-philippine-passport-hajj
**http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/579422/news/pinoyabroad/dfa-suspends-issuance-of-hajj-passports-amid-probe-on-177-indonesians
***http://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/p200-m-passport-scam-bared