Thousands of Pinoy workers face arrest in Saudi

MANILA, Philippines - More than 2,000 undocumented Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia face possible arrest and imprisonment as the Saudi government resumes today its crackdown on illegal foreign migrants.

Labor group Migrante International said about 1,700 undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remain stranded in Jeddah while a thousand others are scattered in Riyadh, Al Khobat and Dammam.

The Saudi Ministry of Labor has ruled out an extension of the amnesty period and warned illegal workers and Saudi employers that countrywide raids would start today. But foreign migrants holding necessary documents and waiting to legalize their status or repatriation will not be arrested.

Once apprehended, an undocumented migrant will be imprisoned for six months to one year and will be slapped with a fine ranging from 12,000 to 20,000 Saudi rials or P139,000 to P230,000.

“We fear the worst. We expect more wipe-out efforts and drastic measures by the Saudi government on and after the actual day of resumption of crackdowns,” Migrante chair Garry Martinez said in a statement.

Saudi gov’t has no response yet

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Vice President Jejomar Binay continue to make representations in seeking an extension on the Nov. 3 deadline for undocumented OFWs to obtain legal status.

Binay, also the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, personally wrote King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to formally ask him to extend the Nov. 3 deadline for OFWs to process their papers.

But the DFA said yesterday that the Philippine government has not yet gotten a reply from the Saudi government.

“As of this time, we have not yet received the Saudi government’s response but whether they extend it or not, we will continue with the repatriation,” DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has already designated Undersecretary Jesus Yabes to personally discuss with his Saudi counterparts how to hasten the repatriation of affected OFWs.

The Philippine government earlier said it has repatriated over 4,000 undocumented Filipino migrants from Saudi Arabia.

Migrante, however, criticized the Aquino administration for failing to undertake the mass repatriation of all undocumented OFWs.

Migrante sets up monitoring centers, hotlines

Migrante also slammed the Philippine government because it even failed to set up hotlines or guidelines for stranded OFWs to avoid arrest and detention.

“What our OFWs need now is on-call legal assistance and protection. What they need now is for the Philippines posts to open their doors to the stranded OFWs, to provide them sanctuary,” Martinez said.

Migrante has set up monitoring centers and hotlines to immediately determine if there are OFWs arrested and to assist them.

John Leonard Monterona, coordinator of Migrante-Middle East and North Africa, said undocumented OFWs can call the following Migrante hotlines in Saudi Arabia for assistance: 00966 55 726 7069 for OFWs in Riyadh and Central Region; 00966 56 203 1626 for OFWs in Jeddah and Western Region; and 00966 50 737 3906 for OFWs in Al Khobar and Eastern Region.

Monterona also urged undocumented OFWs staying in the so-called tent city to call up Migrante if any of them is arrested.

“We want to ensure that undocumented migrants’ well-being and rights be upheld and respected by concerned authorities. Though undocumented, they have rights, too,” Monterona said.

“We are expecting an intense crackdown of all undocumented migrants in the kingdom in the coming days. The undocumented migrants should be treated humanely as there were reports of abuses, manhandling, slapping, kicking, during previous crackdown,” he added.

He urged the Saudi government to waive the immigration penalties and fines of apprehended undocumented migrants and implement swift deportation proceedings instead.

Gov’t has P2B for reintegration of OFWs

Meanwhile, Malacañang said repatriated Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia would have jobs in the Philippines because the Aquino government has allotted P2 billion for their “reintegration” into the local workforce.

In an interview over state-run radio dzRB yesterday, Press Secretary Herminio Coloma said the Department of Labor and Employment is the “administrator” of the funds while its “conduit banks” are state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines.

Repatriated Filipino workers can make use of the reintegration funds to start a small business.

Coloma also gave assurance that the government would extend legal assistance to affected OFWs in Saudi Arabia.  â€“ With Delon Porcalla, Helen Flores