THE government arrested 144 foreign nationals who posed as Filipinos to attend the Hajj pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement released Wednesday, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente said the BI intercepted 122 Indonesians and 22 Malaysians who flew to Saudi Arabia disguised as Filipinos last August.
The commissioner said the returning foreign pilgrims were discovered as a result of Oplan Janus, an operation conducted following the arrest of about 177 Indonesians who attempted to leave the country with genuine Philippine passports last August 19.
According to Morente, the BI will continue to monitor other Indonesian nationals who left the country to attend Hajj pilgrimage as their investigation on the syndicate that sells the Philippine passports to interested foreigners is still ongoing.
"Our agents will continue to monitor arriving flights from Saudi Arabia until the second week of October and then Oplan Janus will cease," the BI chief said.
Morente said authorities have taken into custody 12 Indonesian sheikhs who accompanied some of the foreign pilgrims in their trip to Manila for investigation on their possible involvement in the syndicate.
The Indonesians and Malaysians intercepted are under the custody of their respective embassies in Manila, which facilitated the issuance of their travel documents and return to their homelands. (Sunnex)