MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has relieved a consular employee over the anomalous issuance of Philippine passports to 177 Indonesian hajj pilgrims.
DFA spokesman Charles Jose yesterday said the concerned employee was with the DFA’s Office of Consular Affairs.
“We are continuing our investigation into this matter but we have already relieved one personnel of his duties,” Jose told The STAR.
He did not elaborate.
The DFA has suspended the issuance of hajj passports following the arrest of the 177 Indonesians who were in possession of Philippine passports as they were on their way to the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca last week.
Jose said the 177 Indonesians are now with the Indonesian embassy, after it requested custody of its nationals pending deportation proceedings.