DFA urged to inventory cases involving OFWs

MANILA, Philippines - The Blas F. Ople Center urged yesterday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to conduct an inventory of all cases involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and set more frequent visits to monitor their situation and ensure their protection.

The center proposed the posting of legal attachés to the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where there is a high number of runaway and abused workers.

The center cited the case of Jonathan “Jojo” Bigas, who exceeded his one-year jail term but remains incarcerated in Saudi Arabia on a drug-related case.

“The ratio of embassy personnel to OFWs in Saudi Arabia alone is one for every 30,000 OFWs. The designation of specialized attachés will help a lot in serving the needs and protecting the rights of our workers,” the center said.

Former labor undersecretary Susan Ople, who heads the center, said another OFW, Jason Pineda, 36, wrote them to seek legal assistance because has been in jail for one year and nine months on a drug-related charge without a court ruling or sentence on his case.

He was arrested when a package sent from the Philippines in his name was found to contain illegal drugs. The OFW claimed he was not engaged in the sale or use of illegal drugs.

 “He has appeared before the court four times without a lawyer because he does not have the money to pay for one. The last time he was summoned by the court was in April of this year,” Ople said.

According to the DFA, it is already working on Bigas’ repatriation. The DFA said administrative procedures between the Saudi court and governor’s office delayed the OFW’s repatriation.

“Pineda’s case is different from Jojo Bigas because the latter had already served his sentence twice over while the former is in jail without a final court decision. Both appeared in court without lawyers, and the Philippine embassy is aware of their cases,” Ople said.

“We join Tess Bigas and Jojo’s children in praying for Jonathan’s safe and smooth repatriation. However, a thorough investigation is called for on how and why a Filipino worker was made to serve his sentence twice, and how many more are suffering the same fate in detention centers not just in Saudi Arabia but around the world,” she added.