27 July 2005 – The Philippine Consulate General in Manado, Indonesia reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that representations and assistance by Philippine consular officers have facilitated the repatriation of 15 Filipinos aboard the M/L Al Jamar, which left the port of Bitung in Southern Sulawesi Island on 15 July 2005.

Consul General Olivia V. Palala informed the Department that the 15 Filipinos – including 11 crewmembers, the ship’s owner Mr. Limtajar Hasan, Chief Mate Daniel Recaford, crew Mr. Kiong Maharail and passenger Mr. Mamasaunda Abtajer – left Indonesia bound for General Santos City aboard the same vessel M/L Al Jamar after Indonesian authorities issued on 13 July 2005 the exit permits required of Filipinos to leave Indonesia for the Philippines.

With the return of the 15 Filipinos, Consul General Palala said this case involving the crew and passengers of M/L Al Jamar  is now considered closed.

Earlier reports from the Consulate General showed that on the early morning of 12 April 2005, the Philippine-registered cargo vehicle M/L Al Jamar was apprehended somewhere in the Lembeh Strait for allegedly attempting to smuggle out endangered animals and other contraband products.  The M/L Al Jamar was en route to General Santos City from Bitung City at the time of its apprehension.

According to the police report, the articles found aboard the vessel included 48 species of endangered and protected birds, 4 monkeys and other articles such as 58 chainsaws, 40 boxes of generic drugs, thousands of DVD/VCD splitters, among others that were not declared in the cargo manifest.

Detained on board the ship were about 23 Filipino ship officers, crewmembers and passengers.  Acting on instructions of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, Consul General Palala said that they closely monitored the case and ensured that the rights and welfare of the Filipinos were protected during the period of detention.

In the latter part of June, eight Filipinos aboard the ship were allowed to come home to the Philippines for lack of evidence to indict them of smuggling charges, while the rest of the Filipinos remained under custody of Indonesian authorities pending the litigation of their case at the State Court of Bitung.

Consul General Palala further said that the early resolution of this case was brought about in part by the good relations between the Philippine Consulate General with immigration and police officials in Bitung, as well as the willingness of the ship owner to cooperate with the authorities to come to mutually acceptable terms of their release from detention.  The Consul General also informed the Department that Indonesian authorities appreciated the sincerity shown by the Philippine government in looking after the welfare of Filipinos working in Indonesia. (Please refer to press releases SFA-AGR-258-05 of 4 May 2005 and SFA-AGR-412-05 of 22 June 2005 for background information.)  END