Filipinos in Saudi warned against joining illegal lottery

Gambling-loving Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, take heed.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom that gambling or any form of lottery is a violation of Saudi laws and that those apprehended could face severe punishment under the Shariah.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jose Brillantes issued this caution after receiving a report from the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh that a Filipino worker was detained, but later freed, due to his alleged involvement in the operation of an illegal lottery.

In his report to the DFA, Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Bahnarim Guinomla instructed his staff to look into the condition of OFW Joselito Manifi, who was reportedly detained for two days by still unknown abductors before being released.

Manifi was reportedly picked up by Makkah police authorities at the Hegira market near Hera bordering Makkah where he was freed on Aug. 7 after the afternoon prayer.

Guinomla has directed the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah to ensure that Manifi’s rights are protected.

Manifi told embassy representatives that he may have been abducted due to his supposed participation in an illegal lottery operation.

He was turned over to Yanbu police authorities who are handling the investigation.

The OFW informed consular officials that Manifi continues to suffer mental stress due to the daily interrogation by police. Manifi emphasized that he was telling the truth.

The Philippine Embassy is now coordinating with police authorities to speed up the resolution of Manifi’s case.

Brillantes also called on all OFWs in Saudi Arabia to strictly observe the local laws and customs and to call the embassy or the Consulate quickly in cases of interrogation by the police.

There are more than four million Filipino workers in the Middle East, a bulk of which are in Saudi Arabia.

In a report earlier this month by the Department of Labor and Employment, Saudi Arabia remained the top destination of OFWs even as the deployment to this country declined in the first quarter of 2005 by four percent to 55,957 from 58,355 OFWs. — Pia Lee-Brago