Senate to probe plight of OFW prisoners

The Senate is set to conduct an inquiry into the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) languishing in foreign jails all over the world.

In a resolution, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has asked the Senate committees on foreign relations and on justice and human rights to conduct the inquiry in aid of legislation in response to the huge number of Filipino migrant workers who are in foreign jails for various crimes.

Based on the 2004 report of the Department of Foreign Affairs, a total of 4,775 Filipinos are behind bars, 1,103 of which are women.

A total of 5,883 sought the help of Philippine embassies and consulates for various reasons in 2004 and 12,613 had to be sent back to the Philippines with government help.

There is a high concentration of Filipinos in jail in countries such as Malaysia with 1,200; Israel, 1,028; Japan, 314; Saudi Arabia, 213; Singapore, 192; Kuwait, 47; and Hong Kong with 77.

Of the 82 Philippine missions overseas, only 12 reported not having aided a Filipino in detention.

"This means that in every continent, except Antarctica, there is a Filipino behind bars," Santiago said.

She pointed out that particular attention should be given to the workers because of the significant contribution they have made to the country.

From January to August 2005 alone, Filipino worker remittances had reached $7 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

OFW remittances have consistently propped up the economy, demonstrating how important their inflow is to the country.

Santiago noted that the Migrant Workers Act of 1995 provides for a legal assistance fund of P100 million to the Legal Assistant for Migrant Affairs to be used in providing legal services to Filipinos in distress.

"Considering the appalling state of OFWs in distress, there is an urgent need to look into how the funds are allocated every year for legal assistance for these workers are being spent," Santiago said.

Earlier, Sen. Ralph Recto called for an increase in the assistance to the fund in order to better assist Filipinos working overseas.

The plight of Filipino migrant workers has always been a sensitive issue for the government.

In 1995, relations between the Philippines and Singapore were strained after a Filipina maid, Flor Contemplacion, was hanged for murdering Filipina maid Delia Maga. The public believed that Contemplacion was innocent.

A Filipina maid in Singapore, Gwen Aguilar, is currently awaiting trial for the gruesome murder and mutilation of her friend, Jane La Puebla, also a maid.

Lack of jobs and poor pay force about 2,000 Filipinos to leave for jobs abroad every month and their welfare is a sensitive political issue for the government.

Around eight million Filipinos work in dozens of countries around the world and aboard most ships across the globe. The government heavily relies on the estimated $10 billion in annual remittances they send to their families back home to prop up the frail economy.

The government hails them as modern-day heroes because of their sacrifices and contribution to the nation’s economy.

In July last year, President Arroyo risked anger from the United States and other Western allies when she pulled out the Philippines’ small troop contingent in Iraq after militants threatened to execute Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz.