They returned home by an Air Asia plane that landed in the airport at 11:11 a.m. local time.
They were greeted by officials of the foreign affairs ministry, the Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines, immigration officers, and the South Sulawesi Governor.
Of the total number, 94 people were from South Sulawesi, one from West Sulawesi, 15 from Kalimantan, and 58 from Jakarta, Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Johny Josephus Lumintang said upon the arrival of the 168 Indonesians repatriated from Manila.
Nine other Indonesians are still in the Philippines for further investigation over the fake passport case. They are now being accommodated in the Indonesian embassys compound, the ambassador said.
The Indonesian foreign ministry will lobby the Philippine government for the repatriation of the nine Indonesians.
On August 19, 177 would hajj pilgrims from Indonesia were held by the immigration officials in the Philippines for trying to travel to Saudi on fake Philippine passports.
They were detained by the Philippine immigration officials shortly before they were to embark on an airline that would have flown them to Medina, Saudi Arabia.
They were deceived and reportedly paid around US$6,000 - US$10,000 per person for the Hajj pilgrimage through Manila. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
