ELEVEN undocumented Indonesian men who illegally entered the country through a backdoor route were accosted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Sarangani province Tuesday night.
Chief Superintendent Eliseo Rasco, regional director of Soccsksargen Police Regional Office (PRO-12), identified the foreigners as Harjono Makalisang, 30; Jeynes Ambalao, 34; Jamudin Sarapil Pangumpia, 36; Donni Riksmen Sitompul, 38; Karlos Sasahi, 47; Kostan Tumei Manake, 47; Oscar Tempomona Masoa, 47; Marthin Batasina, 51; Marcos Bastian, 52; Sapar Haribae Maulana, 53; and Tara Hengkeng Legesang, 59, all from Sulawesi, Indonesia.
According to Rasco, the Indonesians were nabbed by joint elements of Sarangani Provincial Mobile Force Company, Provincial Intelligence Branch and Glan Municipal Police Station in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at Sitio Calanasan, Brgy. Taluya, Glan, Sarangani at around 9 p.m.
The arrest came hours after a team of cops from Indonesia North Sulawesi Regional Police (NSRP), headed by Senior Supt. H. Yohanes Soehartono S.I.K., chief of operations of NSRP, paid a courtesy visit to the PRO-12 early Tuesday morning.
Rasco said the issue on undocumented Indonesians living in the Philippines was discussed.
The PRO-12 chief revealed the Indonesians have been illegally staying in the country for more than a week prior to their arrest.
The group arrived in the country last Sept. 23, 2018 but police learned they did not undergo proper documentation.
Joyce Kandice Villaraza, Alien Control Officer from BI-Sarangani, confirmed that the foreigners were not properly documented.
In an exclusive interview by the Manila Bulletin with Superintendent Aldrin Gonzales, PRO-12 public information office chief, he disclosed that they have conducted a deeper probe to determine if the Indonesians are connected to any illegal activities.
“Usually, many Indonesians are entering Sarangani via a backdoor route because these two are neighboring regions and a lot of them want to live here,” Gonzales explained in Filipino.
“So far, we have not yet [monitored] any information about any other [illegal activities,]” he added.
The foreigners were brought to Glan Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition prior their turn over to the Immigration bureau. (Martin Sadongdong)