Report: Riyadh official assures support for 9 stranded RP maids

Nine Filipina maids and their children who are staying at a shelter in Saudi Arabia have been assured of assistance from Saudi officials for their speedy repatriation. Riyadh Deputy Governor Prince Sattam gave the assurance to Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia following a meeting earlier this week. "Prince Sattam said the embassy could expect his assistance so that the nine Filipino women and their 10 children could be sent home to the Philippines," Philippine Ambassador Antonio Villamor said in an article on Saudi news site Arab News. At present, the nine Filipino women are staying at the Bahay Kalinga shelter at the Philippine Embassy with their children. Eight of the women have a child each and one has two. Now considered illegal residents, the nine ran away from their sponsors to work in the black labor market and had illicit sexual relationships, for which they can be prosecuted. Prince Sattam met with Labor Attaché Albert Valenciano this week. Sattam and Villamor were supposed to meet earlier but failed to do so because of the Ramadan. While Sattam asked Villamor to return last Tuesday, Villamor could not do so as he was to meet with Eastern Province Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Fahd regarding the case of Romilyn Eroy-Ibañez. Ibañez died from acid burns and stab wounds in Alkhobar recently. Valenciano, who met with Sattam, said the deputy governor’s office referred him to an officer regarding the embassy’s request for assistance for the women. "The action officer asked for the documents for each of the nine women and their 10 children. We gave the pertinent documents as well as the summary report on them," he said. Valenciano said he was also asked if any of the women had committed any crime. He replied the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Riyadh had not received any complaint against any of them. He said he was also asked about the whereabouts of the fathers of the children, and told the officer that they had returned to their respective countries. Valenciano said that once the embassy’s request is granted, the deportation center would issue them their travel documents so that they can leave the country. — RSJ, GMANews.TV