The shelter — known by the local Filipino community as the Bahay Kalinga (BK) — is administered by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), which is under the Philippine Embassy.
Valenciano made the revelation when interviewed regarding the complaint of officials and members of the 236-member Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME) who claim they were rebuffed when they visited the BK with donations for inmates on Thursday night.
Valenciano did not identify the woman who escaped with her child. However, John Leonard Monterona, coordinator for Migrante — Middle East, said that according to sources inside the BK the woman is a Filipino Muslim. “A case officer at POLO allows the maids to work but they have to return to the BK at night... that was also how the maid was able to escape with her child,” Monterona told Arab News. The women, mostly maids, have run away from their sponsors. Some had also committed immoral acts that are punishable under Saudi law. Some were raped by their sponsors and others had illicit relationship either with fellow Filipinos or other nationals after running away.
There were only nine of them when the Philippine Embassy brought their case to the attention of the governor’s office in Riyadh. Each one of them had a child, except one who had two. Antonio P. Villamor, the Philippines’ ambassador to the Kingdom, and Valenciano met Vice Governor of Riyadh Prince Sattam after Ramadan to arrange the women’s repatriation to the Philippines.
“We have submitted all the necessary documents to the concerned authorities who promised that they would do their level best to help the women and their children leave for the Philippines. We’ll wait for the go-ahead for their repatriation,” Villamor told Arab News after the meeting. The embassy was also told that a case officer would study the documents. Valenciano said none of the women had criminal cases against them.
Asked about the status of the request for the women’s repatriation, Valenciano said they are still waiting for the go-ahead from the concerned authorities.
