RP embassy yet to confirm if refugee who blew himself up is Filipino
MARK UBALDE, GMANews.TV
10/07/2008 | 12:04 PM
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Malaysia is still awaiting confirmation from authorities regarding the nationality of the refugee who blew himself up and his wife during a marital dispute.
Consul general Renato Villa told GMANews.TV on Tuesday that they have communicated with the Malaysian authorities in Kota Kinabalu to verify an Associated Press report that the victims involved a Philippine national.
"Our Assistance to Nationals officer is calling Malaysian authorities about the reported incident. For now they are not willing to comment about it," Villa said in a phone interview.
The AP report identified the Filipino as Babin Isang, 35, a fish vendor, who used explosives to kill himself and his wife at her sister's house in Kota Kinabalu city in eastern Sabah state Monday.
A Malaysian police officer was quoted in the report as saying that Babin's wife Indak Musa is believed to have asked for a divorce because she suspected her husband of having an affair.
More than 80,000 Filipino refugees have settled in Sabah, the Malaysian state in the island of Borneo. Villa said most of these Filipinos migrated to Sabah during the 1970s and were granted refugee status – which excludes them from deportation - by the Malaysian government. - GMANews.TV
Consul general Renato Villa told GMANews.TV on Tuesday that they have communicated with the Malaysian authorities in Kota Kinabalu to verify an Associated Press report that the victims involved a Philippine national.
"Our Assistance to Nationals officer is calling Malaysian authorities about the reported incident. For now they are not willing to comment about it," Villa said in a phone interview.
The AP report identified the Filipino as Babin Isang, 35, a fish vendor, who used explosives to kill himself and his wife at her sister's house in Kota Kinabalu city in eastern Sabah state Monday.
A Malaysian police officer was quoted in the report as saying that Babin's wife Indak Musa is believed to have asked for a divorce because she suspected her husband of having an affair.
More than 80,000 Filipino refugees have settled in Sabah, the Malaysian state in the island of Borneo. Villa said most of these Filipinos migrated to Sabah during the 1970s and were granted refugee status – which excludes them from deportation - by the Malaysian government. - GMANews.TV
