OFWs in Riyadh warned vs fellow Pinoys ‘seeking help’

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh warned Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to be wary of compatriots who are pretending to be in need of assistance but are actually working with local immigration officials.

In a release, the Embassy said a Filipino worker fell for the scheme two weeks ago, after coming to the aid of an OFW who claimed she needed to be “rescued".

The Embassy said according to the victim’s narration, a Filipina called him and asked that she be brought to the Embassy or the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

The Embassy said that even as the Kingdom prohibits people from taking into their custody those workers who escaped their employers, the victim still agreed to assist the “distressed" Filipina.

The victim first brought the Filipina to his residence.

It turned out, according to the Embassy, that they were followed by immigration authorities, who stormed the victim’s house and demanded for his immigration documents as well as those of the others living with him.

The authorities likewise grilled residents of the house to find out if unmarried or unrelated women and men were living together, or if there were OFWs there who escaped their sponsors.

The Filipina who earlier asked to be rescued eventually boarded the vehicle used by the authorities and left, the Embassy added.

“Sa kabutihang palad ay walang kinulong sa mga kababayan nating tumulong sa kadahilanang wala naming nakitang kakulangan sa kanilang mga papeles," the release said.

(Fortunately, none of the Filipino residents in the house were arrested because they all had proper documentation.)

Filipinos in the Kingdom are thus reminded to refer to the Embassy fellow Filipinos who are seeking help, instead if assisting them themselves, to avoid getting into trouble.

The Embassy said in such cases, Filipinos may call the following numbers: 482-3559, 482-3615, 480-1918, 482-1577, 482-4354, 482-0507 and 482-1802. —Jerrie M. Abella/VS, GMANews.TV

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