LAHAD DATU: Sept 20, 2026 — A total of 61 Filipino illegal immigrant detainees (PATI) were repatriated to their home country via Bongao Port in the Philippines.
The detainees comprised 43 adult men, nine adult women, four boys and five girls, aged between six and 65.
They were transferred from the Tawau Immigration Depot via the Lahad Datu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex before continuing their journey to Bongao on a commercial ferry.
To date, a total of 5,294 illegal immigrant detainees have been repatriated to their home countries, comprising 3,516 Filipinos, 1,488 Indonesians, 120 Pakistanis, 127 Chinese nationals, 21 Vietnamese and 22 nationals of other countries.
All the detainees had completed their sentences in accordance with the provisions of the law and possessed valid Travel Documents (TD) to undergo the repatriation process to their home countries.
