RIYADH, 25 August 2005 — Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla has said many Filipino inmates in the Kingdom could be eligible for the amnesty program being offered by the host government.
Guinomla said that since the Kingdom announced that it was giving an amnesty to “light offenders,” the embassy has sent staffs to various jails to check on Filipino inmates charged who may qualify for the amnesty.
“The process started upon the issuance of the amnesty on July 31, and since then they started reviewing their list (prisoners) and this was confirmed by some of the prison officials I have spoken with over the weekend,” Guinomla said.
“They (prison officials) were asked to review all the cases because those with light sentences would be considered for possible amnesty,” he added.
Guinomla said many of the more than 100 Filipino males in Hair prison and about the same number of women in Nisa jail in Malaz could benefit from the amnesty program.
He said that about 36 Filipino women inmates who have been released from Nisa prison were repatriated since Aug. 1.
Most of the former inmates were charged with immorality and prostitution, Arab News learned.
Mohammed H. Al-Khulaqi, the executive director of The Cooperative Office for Disseminating Islam Among Minorities in Sinaiyah Jadid, said he also confirmed with Majed Al-Muhana of Hair prison that there would be a number of Filipino male inmates in Hair to be freed in the coming days as part of the royal clemency.
“This is good news I heard,” said Al-Khulaqi who was with the ambassador at the basketball championship game sponsored by the cooperative office held recently in Sinaiyah Jadid.