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P11-M NCMF debt to Saudi company nearly spoils 2019 Hajj

By Allan Nawal

February 21, 2019, 9:24 am

<p><strong>HAJJ.</strong> Pilgrims from around the world perform the annual Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Filipinos were nearly barred from this year's Hajj pilgrimage because of an PHP11-million debt incurred by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos to a Saudi Arabian tourism company, a commission official said Thursday (Feb. 21, 2019). <em>(Photo courtesy of Saudi Arabia's Hajj Ministry)</em></p>

HAJJ. Pilgrims from around the world perform the annual Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Filipinos were nearly barred from this year's Hajj pilgrimage because of an PHP11-million debt incurred by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos to a Saudi Arabian tourism company, a commission official said Thursday (Feb. 21, 2019). (Photo courtesy of Saudi Arabia's Hajj Ministry)

DAVAO CITY -- Philippine pilgrims had nearly been blocked from attending this year's Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia over a National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) debt to a Saudi Arabian tourism company, a ranking NCMF official said Thursday.

An average of 7,000 Filipinos go on Hajj each year, according to an NCMF report.

Dimapuno Alonto Datu Ramos Jr., director of NCMF's Bureau of External Relations, said Elyas Company, which took charge of some Hajj-related activities for Filipino pilgrims in 2017 and 2018, had filed a case against the Philippine government for an uncollected PHP11-million debt.

“When (NCMF) Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan assumed his post, he was informed that the Philippine government owed the Elyas Company in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia PHP11 million. This debt, if remained unpaid, would have been enough grounds to block all Philippine pilgrims from joining the Hajj until the amount has been fully paid. No visas will be issued to the Philippine pilgrims,” Datu Ramos said.

He said Pangarungan was stumped by the claim and immediately ordered an investigation, which was continuing.

While the investigation was ongoing, Ramos said Pangarungan ordered that the amount be settled so that the pilgrimage in August would not be affected.

“This is currently under investigation by a fact-finding committee formed by Secretary Pangarungan, and if the final report will prove that there is sufficient evidence of corruption, a case will be filed at the Ombudsman,” he said.

Datu Ramos said initial reports from the investigation indicated that the funds had been mismanaged by some NCMF officials, who even brought many of their relatives to the Hajj using government money.

He said there is also a confidential report implying that the funds were pocketed by some officials.

“Even the Bloomberry funds from Pagcor were used up to pay for their airfare tickets,” he added. Pagcor is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Datu Ramos said aside from the debt to Elyas Company, Pangarungan is now also leading efforts to address the issue of illegal pilgrims or “muqeem”. He described muqeems as Filipinos who had acquired illegally manufactured Hajj IDs “possibly from some sheiks, some Saudi workers, or NCMF employees looking to make an additional buck.”

“These muqeem enter the hotels in Mina and Arafah using fake IDs, with some attending personal affairs outside the boundaries set for the Hajj pilgrims. Such is the case of a group that attended a wedding during the 2018 Hajj, wherein the Philippine Consulate had to intervene to avoid detention of these individuals,” Datu Ramos added.

He said among the measures against illegal pilgrims is the implementation of an ID system reinforced by QR codes unique to each pilgrim.

“Scanners will be randomly used by NCMF employees, and anyone caught with forgeries will have cases filed against them, or if they are working as OFWs in Saudi Arabia, they may be deported. Those caught selling fake IDs will also have criminal cases filed,” Datu Ramos said.

"We have seen how the pilgrims have suffered because of the selfish acts of these muqeem and those who propagate the practice, and the current NCMF Administration would want to put an end to this," he added.

Aside from ordering an investigation into anomalies at the NCMF, Datu Ramos said Pangarungan also wanted Filipino Muslims from now on to perform the Hajj without spending too much.

From more than PHP200,000 in recent years, Filipino pilgrims would now be spending nearly PHP40,000 less on airfare and hotel accommodation in four- and five-star rated hotels in Saudi Arabia, particularly Mecca, Jeddah and Madinah. (PNA)

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