Zamboanga City: We cannot take in Filipinos deported from Malaysia
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Zamboanga City, which has closed its borders to avoid the spread of COVID-19, will not allow in Filipino deported from Malaysia.
The city government made the announcement in response to plans by Malaysia to send back more Filipino deportees. Around 400 Filipinos were sent back last month days before a March 20 lockdown of Zamboanga City that barred the entry of shipping and flights except for those carrying food and supplies.
“We cannot receive deportees because of the dangerous predicament our city and country faces,” Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, chair of the local inter-agency task force on COVID-19, said.
She said the city has passed a resolution that it sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Salazar said National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon was also informed of the city's decision. She said that Esperon agreed with the call to suspend the repatriation of Filipino deportees from Malaysia.
She added presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., also chief implementer of the government action plan on COVID-19 also told her that the Philippines has asked Malaysia "not to pursue deportation at this time."
"We cannot receive as we are all battling COVID-19 in each of our shores," Salazar said.
Salazar said the Mindanao Development Authority will also coordinate with the Department of Tourism on another flight to get Malaysians still in the region back to their home country.
In early March, more than 100 Filipinos who had sailed to the Philippines from Malaysia were refused entry at Jolo, Sulu and Maluso, Basilan. They were put on quarantine in tents in Sibakel Island off Basilan.
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