19 Filipino workers seek relief under amnesty

A group of 19 overseas Filipino workers in Al-Jouf province, mostly victims of maltreatment, physical abuse and intimidation by their employer, has sought the Philippine Embassy’s assistance to return home.
The members of the group, who do not have iqamas and driving licenses for the past three years, have come from Al-Jouf to Riyadh yesterday to avail themselves of the amnesty with the help of the mission. The local labor court has given a ruling in their favor. However, their sponsor has gone to the Riyadh Appeal Courts and the date of hearing has been fixed for December.
The leader of the group, Norberto Mariposque, told Arab News that his friends cannot afford to wait anymore.
“We have come to Riyadh to seek assistance under the amnesty,” he said. “The mission has asked us to come to the job fair at the Riyadh chamber to resolve our situation, but no one from the mission is available to take care of our group.”
“We have no friends in Riyadh, we have come with all our belongings to go home since we cannot afford to stay till December when the court is take up the appeal,” he said. Mariposque said his main problem is the non-issuance of iqama and driving license, and delays in overtime payment. “I was asked to work without proper papers for the entire duration of my two-year contact. We were also subjected to maltreatment, threats and physical abuses,” he said.
All the 19 expatriates decided to leave the company when two of their co-workers were jailed on petty charges. Following their release, they were threatened by the company. They filed the case before the labor office in Al-Jouf on Feb. 14, 2012, when they felt insecure, and went to the Passport Department to surrender to the authorities.
However, they were not detained by the Jawazat officials, as there was no case against them.
The company, in turn, cut off water and electric supply to their accommodation. Thereafter, they moved to a rented house of some fellow Filipinos in the region.
Mariposque said there is great uncertainty among them over the delay due to the court case.