Filipinos outraged by death of deportee children

comments     Yap Mun Ching     Published     Updated

The Philippines media today highlighted reactions of high-ranking personalities to the recent reported death of at least seven children in Sabah, amidst an ongoing exercise to deport illegal immigrants.

Foreign Secretary Blas Ople, the presidential press secretary, a senator and several politicians were among those who called for response by, or action against, the Malaysian government.

Earlier today, about 20 people had demonstrated in front of the Malaysian diplomatic mission in Manila.

The issue surfaced after television footage showing crowded conditions in a Malaysian deportation camp in Sabah. A woman deportee was shown weeping over her dead child in the clip, which was aired by a Philippine television station.

Yesterday, Ople summoned Taufik Mohamed Noor, the Malaysian envoy to the Philippines, to express concern over the alleged mistreatment of illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Issue of liability

It is learnt that Sabah immigration director Abdullah Sani Sulaiman is in Kuala Lumpur, while Lamberto Marin labour attache at the Philippines embassy here has left for Sabah.

Neither of the officials, nor the Immigration Department spokesperson, could be reached for comment.

Philippine senator Rodolfo Blazon called on his government not to let the death of Filipino children in Sabah pass without an investigation or at least a diplomatic protest note, if it is determined that Malaysian authorities are liable.

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