MANILA, Philippines – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia are apprehensive but vigilant amid the rising tension between the kingdom and Iran, Migrante-Middle East said yesterday.
So far, no huge demonstrations inside Saudi Arabia have occurred to undermine its internal peace and order situation, Riyadh-based John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, said in a statement.
“If there are demonstrations they were outside Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“Sentiments of most of the OFWs in the kingdom: apprehensive but vigilant due to the perceived volatile political rift between the Saudi government and Iran.”
Monterona advised Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to avoid activities that could be perceived as “terroristic.”
Last week, four Filipinos were reportedly arrested, along with 40 others, for being suspected terrorists, he said, quoting the Saudi newspaper Arab News.
Monterona called on the Philippine embassy in Riyadh and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to validate such report and seek to get detailed information about the four Filipinos. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan, Pia Lee-Brago, Aurea Calica