RIYADH: Filipino organizations have appealed to their embassy here to avail of a royal pardon as ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on the advent of Ramadan.
Community leaders expressed their gratitude on behalf of millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the country for the Kingdom’s humanitarian consideration.
The Filipino migrant rights group and the Filipino Expatriates Council for Justice (FECJ) urged the Philippine Embassy to locate OFW inmates who will be covered by the royal pardon.
“This is a once-in-a-blue-moon golden opportunity for those OFW inmates who are luckily covered under this royal pardon granting them amnesty,” said Saidali Malic FECJ Chairman.
“Diplomatic posts in Riyadh and Jeddah should not waste time in tracking the OFW inmates who are qualified by the recent royal pardon for petty crime offenders granted by King Salman,” said John Monterona, the United OFW Worldwide convener.
“The OFW inmates— mostly those who have been convicted for petty crimes such as stealing, gambling, selling and use of liquor, illicit relationships, mixed crowd, and other petty offenses— their cases should be followed closely and arrangements to facilitate their release should be made if qualified for the pardon granted by the host government,” Monterona added.
Monterona, citing statistics his group gathered, said there are at least 300 OFW inmates in various jails in Riyadh and the central region. Of these, 168 are drug-related cases, while the rest are considered petty offenses.
In Jeddah and the Western Region, Monterona said there are at least 150 OFW inmates, of which 63 cases are drug related while the rest are petty crimes.
He believed there are OFWs in various jails in Al-Khobar and the eastern region.
There are an estimated 1.2 million OFWs working and living in Saudi Arabia, a top destination of OFWs.
Community leaders expressed their gratitude on behalf of millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the country for the Kingdom’s humanitarian consideration.
The Filipino migrant rights group and the Filipino Expatriates Council for Justice (FECJ) urged the Philippine Embassy to locate OFW inmates who will be covered by the royal pardon.
“This is a once-in-a-blue-moon golden opportunity for those OFW inmates who are luckily covered under this royal pardon granting them amnesty,” said Saidali Malic FECJ Chairman.
“Diplomatic posts in Riyadh and Jeddah should not waste time in tracking the OFW inmates who are qualified by the recent royal pardon for petty crime offenders granted by King Salman,” said John Monterona, the United OFW Worldwide convener.
“The OFW inmates— mostly those who have been convicted for petty crimes such as stealing, gambling, selling and use of liquor, illicit relationships, mixed crowd, and other petty offenses— their cases should be followed closely and arrangements to facilitate their release should be made if qualified for the pardon granted by the host government,” Monterona added.
Monterona, citing statistics his group gathered, said there are at least 300 OFW inmates in various jails in Riyadh and the central region. Of these, 168 are drug-related cases, while the rest are considered petty offenses.
In Jeddah and the Western Region, Monterona said there are at least 150 OFW inmates, of which 63 cases are drug related while the rest are petty crimes.
He believed there are OFWs in various jails in Al-Khobar and the eastern region.
There are an estimated 1.2 million OFWs working and living in Saudi Arabia, a top destination of OFWs.
