11 October 2005 – Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez of the Philippine Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, today reiterated her reminder to Filipinos in Brunei against violations of visa regulations as she reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Embassy had successfully facilitated the repatriation on 4 October 2005 of the three children of a Filipino couple jailed by Brunei authorities last 14 September 2005 for overstaying in the Sultanate for more than a year.

“I call on our kababayan in Brunei to strictly follow the conditions of their visas to avoid arrest, detention and other penalties,” Ambassador Benavidez appealed to the Filipinos in her jurisdiction.   She informed the Department that the three children of the Filipino couple, aged ten, eight and three left Bandar Seri Begawan for Manila aboard a Royal Brunei Airlines flight on the evening of 4 October 2005 accompanied by their aunt, an OFW who works as a nurse at the RIPAS Hospital in Bandar Seri Begawan.

In reply to the request of the Filipino couple to respect their privacy on this matter, the Department is not disclosing the names of the Filipino couple, their children and the aunt.

The Ambassador said that during a routine immigration operation on 14 September 2005, the Filipino couple and their three children were apprehended by the Brunei Immigration authorities for having overstayed in Brunei for more than a year.  Ambassador Benavidez recounted that the youngest child did not even have any identification document.

Ambassador Benavidez further said that the children were later released to the custody of the husband’s sister  while the parents were sentenced to five months imprisonment.

The Ambassador added that while the couple was in detention and in jail, Embassy officials and the aunt visited them several times to check on their conditions and provide them with their personal effects.  Upon the request of the couple, the Embassy also facilitated the children’s visit to prison to see their parents before they left Brunei.  The parents had earlier agreed to let their children stay with relatives in Lipa City, Batangas.

Ambassador Benavidez also stated that since the Filipino couple was not able to find a stable and permanent job in the Sultanate, and therefore could not provide for the children’s return airfare, the Embassy – with prior approval of the Department – provided for the transportation expense of the children back to the Philippines, as well as for the youngest child’s travel document.

The Ambassador was able to meet the children and their aunt before they left for the Philippines, and learned that none of the children had ever gone to school.  Ambassador Benavidez then suggested to the aunt that, as the children’s parents and relatives hail from Lipa City, she approach the Lipa City government for educational assistance upon their return to the Philippines. END