PHILIPPINE Coastguard (PCG) personnel have intercepted 10 undocumented Pakistani nationals at the port of Zamboanga.
Lieutenant Commander Alvin Dagalea, Zamboanga Coastguard Station commander, said the Pakistanis were intercepted during the pre-departure inspection of a passenger vessel, M/V Stephanie Marie I, around 9:20 a.m., Tuesday.
The M/V Stephanie Marie I was set to sail from Zamboanga City to Basilan province via Isabela City when the Pakistanis, five men and five women, were intercepted.
Dagalea said the group came from Marawi City and is set to travel to Basilan province “for unknown reason yet.”
Dagalea said the Pakistanis failed to show any documents, especially travel papers, when his personnel requested for their identification.
Dagalea said what they presented was a letter dated February 23, 2017 signed by Alibasher Usman, committee on information, ticketing and visa extension head of a mosque in Marawi City.
It was indicated in the letter that the Pakistanis are in the country upon the invitation of Usman’s group, “which is purely a non-profit, non-political and non-violent religious organization.”
It was further stated that the Pakistanis “have come to visit different Muslim areas of our country.”
Based on the letter they are bringing, Dagalea said the Pakistanis were identified as follows: Zeb Jahan 50, businessman; Maryam, 41, housewife; Mustaqeem, 54, businessman; Aktar Yasmeen, 51, housewife; Khalid Muhamad, 38, businessman; Bibi Farzana, 32; housewife; Nadeem Faizal, 34, businessman; Baidar Sahar, 32, housewife; Ahmed Nisar, 41, businessman; and, Bibi Nazish, 37, housewife.
Dagalea said they turned over the Pakistanis Bureau of Immigration. (VoxPop Philippines)
