Four OFWs die in Riyadh car mishap

Four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) died in a car accident in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over the weekend, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Manila’s embassy in Riyadh reported to the DFA that the victims were engineer Juanito Daquis Jr., David Layo Jr., Ruben Francisco and Benjamin Jacinto.

Ambassador to Riyadh Bahnarim Guinomla said the embassy had received information that four OFWs were traveling to Riyadh in a GMC truck when the accident happened. It was not immediately known what caused it.

A certain Mrs. Sharani called the Philippine embassy last June 17 regarding the reported death in a vehicular accident of her relative Daquis.

Sharani told the embassy that she and her husband were on their way to Al-Dawadmi General Hospital to confirm the report and she was in touch with some Filipino workers at the hospital.

On the afternoon of June 18, Sharani again called the embassy to inform that she had identified the body of Daquis.

The identities of the three other victims were confirmed by their respective friends who were also at the hospital at the time of Sharani’s visit.

Two of the four OFWs died on arrival at the Al-Dawadmi General Hospital and the two others expired a few days later.

The embassy was also informed that a representative from the Mohammadia Police Station visited the hospital to attend to the case.

Guinomla said they are now communicating with the employers of the four OFWs to facilitate the necessary documents pertaining to the accident and the payment of their benefits. — Pia Lee-Brago