JEDDAH, 16 January 2008 — The Philippine Consulate in Jeddah has urged Filipinos who came to the Kingdom to perform Haj not to overstay their visas so as not to run afoul with the host government’s laws.
Consul General Ezzedin Tago issued the reminder following reports by Philippine media that some 200 Filipino Muslims who performed Haj late last year went “TNT” in Saudi Arabia.
TNT is the term used by Filipinos for those who overstay their visas in a foreign country and keep hiding from the law.
Tago instructed Haj Attaché Solaiman Mutya to check on veracity of the report, which was attributed to Executive Director Ali B. Sangki of the Office on Muslim Affairs in Manila.
In his report to the consul general, Mutya said the reported 200 overstayers, if true, could have come to the Kingdom on Umrah visas and were not among the Haj pilgrims.
He said it was too early to conclude that some of the Haj pilgrims have opted to stay in the Kingdom to seek employment because there are still 2,036 pilgrims in Makkah waiting for their scheduled return flights this month to Manila. “The 2007-2008 Haj season has not yet been completed,” Mutya said in an interview, adding that Sangki could have been misquoted in the reports.
Consul General Tago said that 2,835 pilgrims returned to the Philippines as of Jan. 12 and flights were scheduled on Jan. 13, 14, 15, 17 and 21. “He said Jan. 18 is the deadline set by the host government for all Hajis to leave the Kingdom.
The consulate said the Philippines was given a quota of 5,000 pilgrims last December, but around 500 were unable to make it to the Kingdom due to the unavailability of flights. Mutya said those who were left behind were given refunds.
Some prominent personalities were among the members of the Philippine delegation, including former Batangas Gov. Antonio Leviste and her more famous equestrienne daughter Toni; Reps. Mujib Hataman of the Anak Mindanao party-list group and Yusuf H. Jikiri of the 1st district of Sulu; Govs. Andal Ampatuan of Maguindanao, Sakur Tan of Sulu, and Sadikul A. Sahali of Tawi-Tawi; Bureau of Immigration intelligence chief Faisal Hussein, Executive Director Sangki , and other Philippine government officials.
The Philippines’ Amerul Haj (head of pilgrims) was Commissioner Salic B. Dumarpa of the National Labor Relations Commission and Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. was the presidential special envoy.
According to Haj Attaché Mutya, three of the pilgrims died of natural causes, one was sent back to the Philippines due to discrepancies in her passport.
