44 OFWs duped by fellow runaway worker in Saudi


ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 10/01/2013 3:59 PM | Updated as of 10/01/2013 3:59 PM
SAUDI ARABIA – Forty-four Filipinos in Riyadh experienced hunger, loss of sleep and wasted money after being duped by a fellow runaway who promised them an easy way out of Riyadh.
The OFWs were rescued by the Thursday Group, a Filipino community organization, at the airport last week.
They identified a certain Warren Soriano as the alleged culprit who claimed to know a high-ranking official at the Jawasat Office who could help repatriate them.
"Alam kong siya yun kasi pag may nagaambag kasi sa kuwarto, ako ang pinalista nya, eto totoo talaga tong mga taong to, nagbigay to talaga," said payloader operator Archie Carrido.
Some of the victims personally know Soriano, who was their roommate at the Esteraha, a temporary shelter for male OFWs whose documents are being processed under the Kingdom's amnesty program.
They claimed that Soriano disappeared with their money amounting to 29,000 Saudi Riyals or more than P333,000.
"Nagbigay agad ako ng 700 Riyals," said Juanito Gerangco.
Geranco has been staying at the Esteraha for about a week. He said he and his fellow runaway Filipinos were fooled into believing that Soriano could help rush their repatriation to the Philippines even without the presence of a visa and a plane ticket.
"Ang sabi sa amin, yung tiket na yun ibibigay pag nandun na kami sa airport. Sabi sa amin na ang kontak niya si general nga daw, general sa Jawasat, parang naniniwala na rin kami," said Pasig native Gerber Ganotisi.
The group was brought to the airport on a rented vehicle driven by fellow Filipino Renato Rosalijos. But at the airport, Soriano suddenly disappeared and no official came to assist the group.
"Meron siyang dalang travel documents yong mga ganito tapos sinusulatan nila, wala pang 20 minutes sir bumalik siya doon sabi niya may mga exit visa na po kayo," saod Rosalijos.Report from Roland Blanco, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau

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