QATIF, 10 November 2006 — Even after the passing of a month, the disappearance of the Filipino wife of a Saudi man together with the couple’s three children in Qatif remains a mystery. There is no proof to support her husband’s claim that she has left the Kingdom with the children, reported the Al-Yaum newspaper.
Her husband Ali Saihaty said he still hopes to find his wife, Rose Nelmar Canton. The couple married five years ago and have three daughters — Fatma, aged five, Hasan, aged four, and Madinah who is only eight months. Saihaty believes that Rose could have run away because of a six-month-old quarrel, which was triggered by a change in her mood following her return from a trip to the Philippines.
He added that he believes Rose planned to run away with the children because of the fact that she took all her clothes and household utensils with her. He also believes that there was an accomplice who helped her escape since she could not carry everything single-handedly and unobserved.
According to the husband, Rose left a note for him in which she said that “she was going to a friend called Shaikha in order to take some Islamic lessons from her.” She requested Saihaty in the letter to call his brother and ask him to stay with him so that he would not feel lonely.
On the contrary, the family housemaid told Saihaty a different story. According to her Rose had left home after receiving a number of telephone calls from an unknown source. Saihaty added that he later received a text message from her saying that she would never return.
He also said that Rose’s sister sent him a message saying that Rose had not come to her and she did not believe that she had left the Kingdom. She also feared that some calamity might have befallen her.
As part of his frantic efforts to find his wife and children, Al-Saihaty has met with the Governor of the Eastern Province Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd who has instructed the police to step up investigations to track down the missing woman and children. Saihaty also inquired at the Passport Department and the King Fahd International Airport to find out if they had left the country.
An official at the Embassy of Philippines ruled out the possibility of the woman leaving the Kingdom as the children had not been issued with passports. Saihaty is willing to pay $10,000 to anyone who could help him find his missing family.
