I RECEIVED an urgent call from former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Alexander Yano regarding the plight of Filipinos in Sabah. Yano, who later, during the Macapagal-Arroyo administration served as Philippine ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, said he had received appeals from Filipinos seeking help in bringing detained Filipinos home. He said efforts to reach Philippine government agencies had produced no definite answers.
More than 5,000 Filipinos are reportedly detained across Sabah, awaiting repatriation.
A letter from the Sabah State Immigration Department dated August 6, 2026, says that 800 Filipino detainees with travel documents are scheduled to be repatriated from Sandakan Port to Zamboanga City aboard the MV Antonia 1 on August 22. It puts the total number of Filipino detainees at 5,495 and cites serious overcrowding in detention facilities.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and other agencies to assist Filipinos returning from Sabah, including by providing welfare and reintegration assistance. In 2017, DSWD said Malaysian naval vessels would transport thousands of Filipinos to Zamboanga. More recently, DSWD-9 assisted 844 Filipinos who arrived from Sabah in January 2026.
The problem is that the MV Antonia is part of the Aleson Shipping Lines fleet, whose passenger vessels were suspended following the January sinking of the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 off Basilan. Two weeks ago, I saw several of these ships still anchored near Zamboanga Port. It was a sad sight. But the Maritime Industry Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard are doing their jobs by intensifying inspections of Aleson vessels and ensuring that all safety requirements are met.
Malaysia is pressing for repatriation because of overcrowding, while the Philippines must ensure that any vessel carrying hundreds of passengers is seaworthy and fully compliant with maritime safety regulations.
One avenue is to seek the assistance of overseas Filipino worker advocates, such as Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, whose committee covers the rights, safety and welfare of OFWs and seafarers. Tulfo could help convene the DFA, DSWD, Department of Migrant Workers, MARINA, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy to explore an immediate solution, including whether a government or Navy vessel could safely and lawfully transport the detainees from Sabah to Zamboanga, subject to the necessary clearances.
If the MV Antonia meets all the requirements, MARINA and the PCG could clear it for operation. If it does not, the Philippine government should find another vessel, including exploring the possibility of using a Philippine Navy vessel. The important thing is to find a safe and lawful way to bring them home.
