MANILA, Philippines — The 11 vice mayors from Bulacan who got stranded in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates while on a personal trip in the Middle East are on their way back to the Philippines, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said yesterday.
According to Remulla, the officials had already purchased tickets for a return flight when the US and Israel began bombardment of Iran.
Remulla did not say when the officials would arrive in the country.
He said the vice mayors secured a travel authority from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for a personal trip to the Middle East. They left the country on Feb. 25.
Meanwhile, Remulla apologized to a mayor whom he earlier said was on the trip even without a travel authority.
It turned out that the mayor, whom he did not identify, did not leave the country.
“That’s my fault and I apologized to the mayor,” Remulla said.