Navy needs more time to repatriate Filipinos

Manila is likely to seek more leeway from Kuala Lumpur to enable the Philippine navy to repatriate more illegal Filipino immigrants from Malaysia, an official said yesterday.

Secretary Corazon Soliman said she would ask President Gloria Arroyo to appeal to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed for another extension before Malaysian authorities resume their crackdown on illegal Filipino migrants.

Upon the request of Manila, Malaysia earlier moved from August 1 to August 31 its deadline for illegal Filipino migrants to leave the country before it implements a harsher anti-illegal immigration law.

However, Soliman, in a radio interview, pointed out that the one-month delay in the deadline is not enough to enable Philippine authorities to help its nationals in Malaysia return to their home country.

She said the navy could only move at best, around 18,000 of the estimated 80,000 illegal Filipinos mainly in Malaysia's north-eastern Sabah state by August 31.

"We need more time. Our ships can accommodate only 1,000 people each on every trip," she explained.

Manila has sent two navy troop carriers, two coast-guard boats and a commercial ferry to fetch the Filipinos.

Filipinos have been arriving in droves from Malaysia since April this year after Kuala Lumpur announced an impending crack-down on illegal immigrants amidst strong concerns over the possibility that some of the aliens could be extremists and could endanger the stability of the country.

The arrival of the Filipinos caused problems to the national leadership and local officials in southern Zamboanga City where most of them end up.

Since the arrival of the returning Filipinos, Zamboanga City officials had noted an increase in crime.

Most of these are from impoverished regions of southern Philippines. The national government is taking steps to cushion the sudden influx of those returning.

Soliman also said it would take at least two months to set up processing centres in Tawi-Tawi where the Filipinos from Malaysia will be based temporarily while their papers are put in order before officially entering the country.