“Ten Filipino women are now staying at the Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh,” John Monterona, Migrante regional coordinator in the Middle East, told Arab News on Saturday.

According to a reliable source, one of the alleged fathers is a Saudi.

“They are victims of sexual abuses by their employers. They ran away, became pregnant and have given birth. They have also become illegal migrant workers whose work permits have expired,” Monterona said.

Earlier, Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor told Arab News that he has been coordinating with Saudi authorities regarding the cases of the Filipino women and their children so that they could be sent home to the Philippines.

Contacted by telephone on Saturday, Attaché Alberto Q. Valenciano said that the Philippine Embassy has sent a request to Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman so that the Filipino women and their children would not be sent to prison.

“The help of Prince Salman is also being sought so that these Filipino women and their kids be brought to the Deportation Center and be issued exit visas so that they could go home to the Philippines,” Valenciano said.

He added that the Filipino women have no criminal records. The 10 children living with their mothers at the Bahay Kalinga range between the ages of five months and eight years.