DFA: No Pinoy killed in Saudi prison fire

No Filipino was killed or injured in a huge fire that hit the largest prison in Saudi Arabia Monday night, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said yesterday.

"I would like to assure the friends and relatives of the 48 Filipinos currently in the Al-Hair Prison that they are safe and sound," he said in a statement.

"We have a consular team coordinating with prison officials to ensure their safety and comfort. Our Filipinos are in a building far from the building which had caught fire."

Reports said 67 inmates died, and 20 prisoners and three guards were injured in the blaze, which was said to be the deadliest prison fire in the Kingdom’s history.

Quoting Ambassador to Riyadh Bahnarim Guinomia, Ople said the 48 Filipino inmates were convicted of crimes ranging from drugs, immorality, embezzlement and violation of liquor laws.

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has been providing legal, consular and other assistance to imprisoned Filipinos, he added.

Al-Hair is the largest prison in Saudi Arabia and considered a maximum security center holding hundreds of people convicted of crimes ranging from political and religious dissension to possession of liquor and pornographic materials, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. — Marvin Sy