No Pinoy detained in Saudi

MANILA, Philippines - No Filipino is  in jail in Saudi Arabia.

Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday the Philippine embassy in Riyadh reported to him that they found no Filipino  detained in police stations.

“Ambassador Ezzedin Tago informed me that the Philippine embassy already sent a roving team to four police stations in Saudi and there are no confirmed reports of any arrest,” he said.

The presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns said no Filipino was injured in last week’s riot in Riyadh involving foreign workers resisting deportation.

“Those implicated were mostly foreign workers from Africa,” he said.

Roving team

Binay said a roving team from the embassy had visited police stations in Manfouha, Al Shifah, Aziziyah, and Dirah and did not find any detained Filipino.

“According to the chief investigating officer at the Dirah police station, their official instructions are to call up the relevant embassy and then request the embassy to provide the travel documents for the detained illegal worker,” he said. “So far, our embassy has not received any request of this nature”” 

Binay asked Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to remain calm as the government is ready to provide appropriate assistance to them.

“The embassy and the consulate continue to coordinate with the authorities for the processing of the final exit visas of those waiting to be repatriated,” he said.

Ambassador Tago has received a message from Saudi Labor Deputy Minister Mufreg Al-Haqbani assuring him that Filipinos will be treated well while they are processing their exit visas, Binay said.