PASAY City Prosecutor's Office has indicted at least nine officials of the National Commission on Muslim Filipino (NCMF) and one official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over the anomalous issuances of fake Filipino passports to 177 Indonesian nationals apprehended in the airport last August 2016.
In a resolution issued on Friday, the Pasay Prosecutor's Office charged for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, Philippine Passport Act, Trafficking in persons, and Estafa the following: NCMF Secretary Yasmin Lao, NCMF Commissioner Salem Demuna and NCMF Chief Pilgrimage Operations Zainoden Usudan.
Completing the list of the NCMF officials charged are Mamintal Cali, Gamal Hallong, Narodin Lamondot, Abang Marohomsalic, Udro Bantuas Sania Mangandog and Lawrence Dilangalen.
Former DFA Passport Division official Khalid Ali Mapandi was also indicted by the said office.
The prosecutors, meanwhile, junked the cases filed against 58 members of the NCMF and DFA led by Sawia Punut, Potre Alonto, Harimah Maruhon Viola Sarip, Sitti Divina Roxas and 43 other respondents for "lack of probable cause."
The panel of prosecutors filed the case at the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Friday.
The case against the respondents stemmed from the arrest of about 177 Indonesian nationals who attempted to leave the country with genuine Philippine passports to attend Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia last August 19.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente earlier said the arrest of the Indonesian nationals led to the discovery of the operations of a syndicate that sells Philippine passports at a hefty price to interested Muslim foreigners who wanted to attend the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. (Sunnex)