Eight hundred Filipino deportees arrived at the Zamboanga City Port at approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, following a crackdown on undocumented migrants in Sabah, Malaysia. The group, which includes 122 children under the age of 12, arrived aboard the MV Antonia 1 from Sandakan, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office IX.
Zamboanga Port receives 800 returnees from Sabah
The DSWD Field Office IX reported that the deportees were transferred from three detention centers in Tawau, Papar, and Sandakan. The group consists of 589 adult males, 89 adult females, 64 male children, and 58 female children.
Upon docking, the returnees received hot meals, medical checkups, and temporary accommodation. These services were coordinated by the DSWD’s Processing Center for Displaced Persons (PCDP) and a multi-agency team including the Philippine Red Cross, the International Organization for Migration, and the Philippine National Police.
Did You Know? The age range of the deportees in this operation was significant, with Sabah Immigration director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof stating the youngest was 16 days old and the oldest was 83.
Sabah Immigration initiates weekly repatriation schedule
This arrival begins a regular deportation schedule. Sabah Immigration director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof told Malaysian media that authorities have planned six more repatriation batches of 800 people each per week.
Sitti Saleha stated that these weekly removals are intended to prevent overcrowding at immigration detention depots. This freed space is expected to allow enforcement agencies to intensify operations against undocumented migrants. She further urged embassies to expedite travel documents to ensure remaining Filipinos are repatriated within a month.
Expert Insight: The transition from sporadic arrivals—with a gap between January and October 2026—to a fixed weekly rhythm suggests a systemic shift in Malaysian immigration policy. For the Philippine receiving agencies, this transforms the operation from a series of isolated crises into a predictable logistical pipeline.
Conflicting reports on arrival and totals
While the DSWD confirmed the Friday night arrival, Malaysian media reported that the vessel departed Sandakan on Thursday. There are also slight discrepancies in the demographic data provided by different outlets.
The DSWD breakdown lists 589 adult men and 89 adult women. However, The Star reported the figures for the same sailing as 590 adult men and 88 adult women. Including 269 Filipinos repatriated on Oct. 27, a total of 1,069 Filipinos were sent home from Sabah in a single week.
800 deportees arrive in Zamboanga from Sabah https://t.co/FAWte31CQU
DSWD assesses deportees for return to home provinces
The deportees are currently at the PCDP facility for profiling and social welfare assessments. DSWD FO IX is coordinating with local government units to determine the necessary interventions for their safe return to home provinces.
This is the second large batch of deportees received this year, following an initial group that arrived in January 2026. The Sabah Immigration Department has repatriated 7,490 detainees of various nationalities so far, including 5,357 Filipinos, as well as citizens from Vietnam, China, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
Potential next steps for repatriated Filipinos
Given the planned weekly sailings, the DSWD and partner agencies may need to provide temporary shelter for returning Filipinos in Zamboanga City.
How many children and Filipinos were deported from Sabah?
How many children were included in the October 30 deportation?
There were 122 children under the age of 12, consisting of 64 boys and 58 girls, according to DSWD FO IX.
What is the total number of Filipinos deported from Sabah this year?
The Sabah Immigration Department stated that 5,357 Filipinos have been among the 7,490 total detainees of various nationalities repatriated so far this year.
Where were the deportees held before arriving in Zamboanga?
The returnees were held in three different detention centers located in Sandakan, Papar, and Tawau in Sabah, Malaysia.
Keep reading