Pinoy fatality in Riyadh identified

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino truck driver was among the 23 people killed in a fuel truck explosion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that injured 111 others on Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez identified the Filipino fatality as Florentino Santiago, a native of Pandi, Bulacan.

Hernandez said 10 Filipinos were among the 111 hurt in the explosion.

“The embassy is monitoring their condition and is in touch with their employers to make sure that all necessary assistance and care are given to them. The embassy is also coordinating with the employer of Mr. Santiago and his family for his repatriation,” Hernandez said.

The victims were caught in the blast after a truck carrying flammable liquids crashed into a concrete flyover in Riyadh.

Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Ezzedin Tago said the Saudi government’s General Intelligence Department has issued a statement saying the explosion had no links with any terrorist act.

The statement said a gas truck collided with the edge of the bridge, resulting in the explosion.

“Some residents in Riyadh heard the sound of the blast. However, we would like to assure you that this was an accidental case and had no links with any terrorist act,” the statement said.

Malacañang yesterday condoled with the family of Santiago and assured the families of those injured that assistance is now being given to the 10 other workers hurt during the incident.

“We condole with the family of Florentino Santiago, the truck driver who was identified by his brother-in-law who is also in Riyadh,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

“The embassy is now talking with the employer of Mr. Santiago and his family for repatriation,” she added.

Valte said the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia is continuously monitoring the condition of the 10 injured Filipino workers.

“Our co-workers there are making sure that all the necessary assistance is being given to them by their employers,” she said.

Valte noted that employers are supposed to provide medical assistance to their workers since this is provided under their employment contracts.

Premonition

Santiago was supposed to return home next year to attend the graduation of their daughter.

Hours before the accident, his wife Jocelyn said her husband called twice just to tell her to take care of their two children, especially the youngest, who is five years old.

Jocelyn said it was unusual for her husband to call several times in a day. She said he often called home twice a week.

On the day before the accident, her husband  instructed her to spend all the money for their children.

“He told me to take care of our children and said, ‘I love you’,” she added.

The following day, Jocelyn said she received another call that informed her he had died in an accident.

Jocelyn added some co-workers told her that her husband was sleeping inside another truck when the accident happened.

“They said my husband was 200 meters away when the explosion occurred,” she said in between sobs.

Jocelyn called for immediate repatriation of her husband’s body.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it would coordinate all efforts to have the remains repatriated as soon as possible.

“We don’t have the date yet, but we expect the repatriation to be soon because the cause of death has already been determined,” OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said.

Dimzon said the family will be receiving P220,000 burial and death benefits from OWWA.

Aside from the financial benefits, Dimzon said, OWWA is also providing livelihood assistance to Jocelyn and scholarship for one of their children.

Dimzon said they visited the family of Santiago yesterday to express their sympathy and inform them of the various assistance that OWWA is extending to their family.

She added OWWA is also ready to extend the necessary assistance for the 10 other Filipinos injured in the explosion.

“As of now the injured OFWs are still in Riyadh, but whatever assistance they would need we are ready to provide,” Dimzon said.

This developed as Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said immediate aid should be extended to the family of Santiago.

Magsaysay also called on the Philippine embassy to extend assistance to the other Filipinos injured in the blast.

“Philippine officials in Saudi should immediately see to it that the medical needs of those who were affected by the blast are attended to and coordinate with their employers other needed details,” she said.

Magsaysay lauded the Philippine officials’ speedy mobilization following the incident.

She said the embassy should also see to the insurance of the Filipino victims of the accident and assist them in seeking compensation for their injuries and losses brought on by the unfortunate event. – Alexis Romero, Mayen Jaymalin, Dino Balabo, Paolo Romero