Report: Saudi royal amnesty may set free 600 jailed OFWs

At least 600 Filipino inmates now serving time in jails in Saudi Arabia workers may gain their freedom, thanks to King Abdullah's pardon of inmates jailed for non-violent offenses. Saudi-based news site Arab News reported over the weekend the pardon is part of recent decisions in honor of the king's return to the country. The report cited official estimates that there are some 49,000 inmates serving time in the country's prisons and about 10,000 of them qualify for the royal pardon. "Out of that, 1,200 inmates are Filipino and about half of them could qualify for release," the report said. However, the pardon does not include releasing inmates serving time for private-rights violations, including civil cases such as unpaid debts. Still, migrants' group Migrante Middle East hailed the pardon. “Our fellow OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) who are in jail will be happy to hear this good news," said coordinator John Leonard Monterona in a statement. Monterona said one of the jailed OFWs, Farouq Hadji Malik Bayabao, said he and his fellow inmates were delighted to receive the news. According to Migrante, Bayabao is one of 48 Filipino inmates at Riyadh’s Malaz prison who have been incarcerated beyond their jail terms. In total, Monterona said there are some 200 OFWs currently jailed in Malaz. These prisoners have been serving sentences mostly for crimes like possession of liquor or other drugs, gambling, and mingling with unrelated members of the opposite sex at private parties. Monterona called on the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah to disseminate the details of the royal pardon, as well as properly represent jailed OFWs who may be eligible for the pardon. —JMA/JV, GMA News