Stranded OFWs in Saudi face repatriation, or jail

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino workers who have been stranded in Jeddah will have to suffer the consequences once they are found to have violated laws in Saudi Arabia.

Esteban Conejos Jr., undersecretary for migrant workers affairs, said only those whose work permits or visas have expired, or whose jail sentences have been served, would be allowed to go home.

He said they should submit themselves to Saudi authorities for investigation and processing which can lead to their immediate repatriation, or imprisonment if found to have violated Saudi laws.

Conejos said the Philippine government can not provide funds for payoff purposes because this would be in direct contempt of and in violation of Saudi laws and may lead to strained relations between Saudi and the Philippines.

There are almost 300 Filipinos stranded in Jeddah for months now. Most of them ran away from their employers, or entered the kingdom without appropriate work permits or visa.

The Filipinos have been demanding that they be sent back to the Philippines, yet many of them prefer being deported, using fictitious documents, believing it was a quicker process than repatriation.

"We will not agree to be in a situation where we are a party to misrepresentation and falsification," Conejos said in a briefing with newsmen.

All stranded Filipinos, documented or undocumented, must go through the legal process, Conejos stressed.

More than a hundred Filipino sought shelter under the Al-Khandara flyover then moved to a nearby bridge while waiting for the immigration police to pick them up and process for deportation.

After several weeks under the bridge, at least 74 Filipinos trooped to the Philippine consulate and set up tents there. Several days later, they were brought to the deportation center for processing.

“Some of the OFWs want the consulate to issue them fictitious documents (to speed up their repatriation). But the consulate said this can not be done," Conejos said.

According to him, it is necessary that the Filipinos disclose to Saudi authorities their personal circumstances and the reasons why they are stranded and to identify their employers to find out if they are facing charges or having labor problems.

Many of the stranded Filipinos who want to come home complained that they were required to work longer hours and their salaries remain unpaid.

Despite this, Conejos maintained that there should be no shortcuts in the processing of their documents by allowing them to use fictitious papers.

Migrante Middle East said recently that a new batch of around 30 Filipinos have gone to the Al Khandara bridge, hoping to be deported to the Philippines. - GMANews.TV

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