24 February 2016 - One hundred thirty-six (136) Filipinos detained for fishing in the waters of Indonesia were scheduled to be repatriated on February 23 from Bitung City, Indonesia to General Santos City, Philippines via KUDA LAUT 01, a vessel owned by a prominent Filipino businessman in Bitung, Mr. Voltaire Loma. These Filipinos came from the Indonesian Immigration Offices of Sorong, Ternate, Bitung, and the Immigration Office – Detention Center in Manado (RUDENIM).

KUDA LAUT 01 departed the Maritime Port of Bitung at 6:20 p.m. and is expected to arrive on February 25 at the wharf of RDEX Compound, Puting Bato, Calumpang, General Santos City. The Regional Consulate Office in General Santos City and local government units/officials were requested to assist the fishermen upon their arrival. The Philippine Consulate General in Manado, led by Consul General Oscar Orcine; Project Officer Raquel Javier; ATN Assistant Noli Susi; Finance Officer Manuel R. Ramos; Consular Assistants Aristotle Florentino and Zalvieluz Maquinad, and Translators/Interpreters Ester Tambayong and Raymond Wagiu, including Commander Salvador Henry Quinto, PH Liaison Officer-PH Border Committee and Border Crossing Officer QM1 Julius Quirog PN, extended its utmost appreciation to the cooperation of the Republic of Indonesia and the Immigration Offices in Sorong, Ternate, Bitung, and the Detention Center in Manado (RUDENIM) for making the government’s efforts to repatriate the 136 Filipinos feasible. END