15 undocumented OFWs in Saudi arrested in crackdown – migrant group

At least 15 undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers have been arrested by authorities on the sixth day of the crackdown on illegal migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, according to the Filipino rights group Migrante-Middle East and North Africa.

“As of past 1 a.m. today we have received calls seeking assistance in behalf of at least 15 OFWs who were nabbed since Saudi authorities resumed the crackdown on November 4,” a news release quoted MENA coordinator John Leonard Monterona as saying.

But the Department of Foreign Affairs said they have to verify the information from Monterona.

“So far we have not received such information [about the arrests of undocumented OFWs],” DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez told GMA News Online via text Saturday afternoon.

Monterona reported that nine of those arrested are from Riyadh while the other six were nabbed in Jeddah.

“The nine undocumented OFWs were nabbed along with the 376 illegal migrants that were apprehended by Saudi authorities during separate raids in Manfouha and Haraj districts on November 5 and 6, respectively,” he said.

Monterona added that they are in the process of documenting the 15 who were reportedly arrested, while urging the Philippine posts in Saudi to conduct immediate jail visitations.

The crackdown against undocumented workers began on March 28 due to the "Saudization" policy (nitaqat) encouraging the employment of Saudi nationals in private firms.

But King Abdullah ordered a three-month delay to the crackdown on April 6.

The reprieve ended on July 4, but was again extended to November 3 to give foreigners in the kingdom a chance to sort out their papers.

Earlier, the DFA said the 1,500 undocumented OFWs left in Saudi will be allowed to return home without being fined or penalized.

These Filipinos, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez explained, “have already completed the prescribed repatriation procedure "before the grace period lapsed" and are just waiting for exit visas.”

A total of 4,420 undocumented OFWs have been successfully repatriated since the Saudi government imposed the new policy.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, sought for an extension but it was not granted by the kingdom.

Those caught will be penalized and must pay from 1,000 to 50,000 Saudi riyals (P11,002-P550,105) depending on the violation.

There are over 1.5 million overseas Filipinos located in Saudi, based on the 2011 stock estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. — Andrei Medina/VC, GMA News