Filipino workers group Migrante International asked their government to recall some embassy officials in Riyadh for harshly dealing with a “peaceful sit-in” by undocumented Filipinos seeking repatriation.

According to Migrante, the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were staging a peaceful sit-in at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh, when the embassy officials reported around 40 OFWs to the Saudi police leading to their “brutal dispersal and arrest” on July 2.

“Philippine officials abroad, either belonging to diplomatic missions or those at the labor and welfare offices (POLO-OWWA), are not only expected to provide utmost assistance to OFWs in deplorable situations but are also duty-bound to fulfill their respective official mandate – that is providing them assistance especially in distress and deplorable situations,” a Migrante statement said.

The Filipino workers group has also asked the government to recall three officials immediately for their alleged ill treatment of the OFWs.

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office could not be contacted despite several attempts from Arab News.

Earlier, in a letter dated July 2, the undocumented OFWs wrote to Migrante International that they were at the diplomatic quarter of POLO in Riyadh when the arrests happened. They said they were there to clarify their repatriation status. But instead of talking to them, the OFWs claimed embassy officials reported them to the Saudi police, the letter said.

“We see no violation of Saudi laws as the sit-in by the 40 stranded OFWs was peacefully conducted. They were at the POLO compound premises to air a legitimate grievance as they see that embassy and labor officials are not properly providing them assistance and are only dilly-dallying of their repatriation,” the letter added.

Speaking to Arab News, Alex Bello, a member of the Filipino voluntary organization, said, “These are distressed people and they need some special attention, special care and support from the embassy at this juncture.”