54 distressed OFWs from Jeddah arrive in Manila

At least 54 distressed overseas Filipino workers who were among those who camped beside the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) arrived in Manila Tuesday evening. The Department of Foreign Affairs said the repatriated OFWs were part of the group taken into custody last Feb. 2 and 3 by the KSA immigration police for illegally staying in the Khandara overpass area. “Many of the repatriated OFWs suffered maltreatment from their previous employers or had experiences of contractual substitution and non-payment of salaries," the DFA said in a news release posted on its website. It said the Filipinos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Tuesday evening. Representatives from the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs and from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) extended assistance to the repatriates at the airport. The Consulate had made representations with KSA authorities for the issuance of the repatriates’ exit visas. Also, the Consulate and the Filipino community provided food and basic necessities to the OFWs while they were in Jeddah waiting for their repatriation. Claims of beatings Meanwhile, a militant migrant group asked Philippine authorities in Riyadh to investigate claims that OFWs jailed in the Kingdom have been beaten. Migrante Middle East coordinator John Monterona cited the case of Joselito Zapanta – on death row – who was allegedly beaten heavily and was not given food. He made the request to the Philippine Embassy in an email, news site Arab News reported Wednesday. “Our OFWs are humans. Some may have breached laws of the host government, nonetheless their rights as human beings must be protected even if they are in jail," he said. Monterona claimed he has received several messages from jailed OFWs asking for assistance. One such message was from Farouq Hadji Malik Bayabao, who claimed that he and his fellow inmates had been heavily beaten by jail authorities. “I was among jailed OFWs who were beaten by the police last July 13. This happened again on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. We were told to get out and then beaten outside the jail building," Bayabao said in a text message to Monterona, the Arab News reported. Monterona said there were initially 48 OFWs asking for protection against illegal punishment inflicted on them by jail authorities. — LBG, GMA News