Con men victimizing illegal Pinoys in Saudi — DOLE

MANILA, Philippines - Some unscrupulous individuals are victimizing undocumented Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said yesterday.        

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said DOLE has received reports that some persons are misrepresenting themselves as personnel of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) or the Philippine embassy, and promising undocumented Filipinos that they can hasten their repatriation or legalize their stay in the Kingdom.         

She said a certain Sunny Robredo, also known as Nasanciano Robredo, Albert Guanzon, Aiza Monares and their cohorts, were reported to be offering fake Philippine and Saudi documents, such as marriage certificates, birth certificates and iqamasor residence permits for a fee.

Baldoz said the situation in Saudi remains normal despite the crackdown and advised undocumented Filipinos to only seek assistance from the Philippine embassy and the POLO.

“In the first place, using fake or forged documents in Saudi Arabia, like anywhere else, is a criminal offense,” she said.         

She said the POLOs in Saudi also continue to monitor the status of Filipinos seeking to correct their work status and transfer of employment.          

She said undocumented Filipinos in Saudi Arabia could call the embassy or consulate at 483-2201 to 3 or 676-3868; send a fax message through telephone numbers 619-5223 or 483-2204 or e-mail polo_riyadh@philembassy-iyadh.org or poloriyadh2010@yahoo.com.

Maltreatment

Meanwhile, the party-list group Akbayan condemned the alleged maltreatment suffered by undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the hands of Saudi authorities.         

“We are appalled by accounts from OFWs themselves describing their ordeal – they were treated like animals by arresting authorities and chained at their feet,” Rep. Walden Bello said.         

“They have nowhere else to go. They’re placed in between a rock and a hard place. OFWs fleeing harassment, arrest, and imprisonment by Saudi authorities are forced to seek shelter in safe houses which are not only cramped but where they are susceptible to abuse by our own officials,” he said.          

The crackdown on all undocumented aliens in Saudi Arabia started this year after a deadline for them to legalize their stay expired. It is part of the Saudi government’s policy to encourage employers to hire Saudi nationals.         

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has mobilized several teams to locate OFWs and arrange for their repatriation.         

Bello, who chairs the House committee on OFW affairs, asked the DFA to step up its efforts.         

“The DFA must extend assistance to all OFWs, documented or otherwise, and double its efforts to assist those who have been arrested and expedite the repatriation of those who are still fleeing capture by Saudi officials,” he said.         

He said his committee would look into the reported maltreatment of OFWs.         

He accused the Saudi government of being ungrateful to foreign workers.            

“Despite being instrumental in running Saudi Arabia’s economy, the hundreds of thousands of foreign workers, especially OFWs, are treated as an expendable resource by the Saudi government,” he said. “Not even the slightest consideration was given to these workers who have toiled without complaint to build Saudi Arabia into what it is today,” he said.         

He lamented that while Saudi Arabia may be a 21st-century economy, it is lagging behind “in respecting universally recognized principles of human rights.”  

Erlyn Verano, 44, from South Cotabato, was among the 10 OFWs repatriated from Saudi Arabia who arrived in the country yesterday. She claimed she was also maltreated by her employer.

She said her employer hit her and even threatened to kill or bring her to jail.

“I have six children to feed, I have to work for their future. Kaya tiniis ko lahat ang hirap at dusa sa kamay ng aking amo (That’s why I endured all the maltreatment from my employer),” she said.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, who sponsored Verano’s repatriation along with nine other OFWs and three children, said they are coordinating with concerned officials for the immediate repatriation of more undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia.

Legal assistance

Malacañang said the government has availed of the services of law firms in Saudi Arabia to assist OFWs affected by the crackdown. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has authorized the hiring of Saudi lawyers to provide necessary legal assistance to any Filipino who would be arrested.

Coloma, however, noted that based on reports submitted to DFA, no Filipino has so far been arrested. 

He said 4,587 Filipinos have so far been repatriated, 1,433 are awaiting immigration clearance and 450 others are housed in temporary shelters.

“A team led by Undersecretaries Jesus Yabes of DFA and Parisya Taradji of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) are in Saudi Arabia to meet with concerned Saudi authorities and to check the condition of undocumented Filipinos,” he added. 

Coloma said “diplomatic representations are being made to ensure continued Saudi government assistance in repatriation efforts and protection of the rights of undocumented Filipinos.”

Vice President Jejomar Binay said Bahrain Labor Minister Jameel Bin Mohammed Ali Humadain is offering Bahrain to be an alternative to OFWs displaced by the Saudization.

“They are hiring Filipino managers and engineers,” he said. – With Jess Diaz, Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, Rudy Santos