A June 6, 2011 press release by the Department of Foreign Affairs
The Philippine Embassy in Jakarta said that it stands ready to provide assistance to two Filipinas who were allegedly subjected to unfair treatment from immigration officials at the Bali airport.
“The Embassy takes these allegations seriously, and the Embassy is verifying if there is basis to file a protest” the DFA said.
“We admire the two Filipinas’ courage in relating their ordeal, and we ask them to touch base with the embassy or the DFA, so the incident could be further documented. This will form basis for the embassy’s actions,” the DFA added.
According to reports, the two women, who prefer to stay anonymous, went to Bali as tourists but were singled out from the immigration line and ushered into the immigration office.
There, they were subjected to a bag and body search allegedly without justification, and allegedly because they were suspected to be drug mules.
After an hour and a half at the immigration office, the two Filipina tourists were allowed to leave the airport, where they were surprised to see the hotel driver still waiting for them.
Their hotel driver allegedly told them that he was not surprised that they were the last ones to go out, as Filipinos were, he said, usually the last ones to be let out of the immigration line.
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