04 September 2014 – Officials of the Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, led by Minister and Philippine Consul General Raymond R. Balatbat, conducted their annual visit of Filipino inmates at the Jerudong and Maraburong Prisons on August 27 and 28 in celebration of Eid al-Fitr or the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Accompanying Minister and Consul General Balatbat were Assistance-To-Nationals Officer and Attaché Raul C. Villanueva, Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Col. Carlos B. Cepe, Welfare Officer/Philippine Overseas Labor Officer Officer-in-Charge Aurea J. Estrada, Pag-IBIG Representative Arlina D. Feliciano, and Social Security System Representative Jessielyn M. Cabungcag-Sia.

Embassy officials brought food to celebrate the occasion. The visit provided the Embassy officials with the opportunity to look into the individual needs of the Filipino inmates, provide them with personal hygiene items, obtain updates on the dates of their release and convey personal messages to their families in Brunei and in the Philippines.

All Filipino detainees were found to be in good health and in high spirits.

Embassy officials expressed their gratitude to His Majesty’s Government, particularly the officers and staff of the Jerudong and Marabuong Prisons, for their kind and humane treatment of Filipino inmates.

There are 15 Filipino inmates – five (5) male and 10 female – presently detained at the Jerudong Prison for various offenses, while two male Filipino inmates are detained at the Maraburong Prison. END