RIYADH: Filipino fishermen in the Kingdom have been warned against fishing outside the Saudi territorial waters to avoid exposure to the risks of piracy and detention.
The warning was issued last week by the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, a Filipino non-profit organization that assists distressed migrant workers, following the release of nine Filipino fishermen by Eritrea.
The organization welcomed home, on May 19, the freed Filipinos after they were caught illegally fishing Eritrean territory, according to a report in the Manilla bulletin website.
The report said that pirates caught four of the fishermen and brought the Filipinos to a secluded island and eventually turned them over to the Eritrean Coast Guard.
“Filipino fishermen based in Saudi Arabia should resist the temptation to illegally fish outside the Kingdom’s borders, particularly in the seas of Eritrea where piracy has become a major concern,” the center said.
Four of these fishermen were declared missing in Sept. 2013 after their fishing vessel sailed into Eritrean waters. They have been working in Saudi Arabia as fishermen for several years. Eventually, they were detained by Eritrea.
Alexander Estomo, Vice-Consul of the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah, made representations through the Philippine Embassy in Cairo for the subsequent deportation of the Filipino fishermen.
The report said that “Patnubay”, an organization of servant-leaders based in Saudi Arabia assisted the fishermen in coordination with the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the Philippine Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, which has jurisdiction over Eritrea.
Overseas Filipino leaders Redentor Bual and Joseph Espiritu of Patnubay were instrumental in following up the case from Jeddah where the fishermen were actually employed. ACTS OFW party-list representative John Bertiz also closely monitored the case.
The Blas F. Ople Policy Center assisted the families of the fishermen in providing much needed information and documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Ople Center said it intends to refer the fishermen to the National Reintegration Center for overseas Filipinos for appropriate assistance.
Susan Ople, head of the policy center, urged the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to look into the recruitment and deployment of Filipino fishermen to Saudi Arabia as well as their current work conditions to ensure that their rights are protected.
The warning was issued last week by the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, a Filipino non-profit organization that assists distressed migrant workers, following the release of nine Filipino fishermen by Eritrea.
The organization welcomed home, on May 19, the freed Filipinos after they were caught illegally fishing Eritrean territory, according to a report in the Manilla bulletin website.
The report said that pirates caught four of the fishermen and brought the Filipinos to a secluded island and eventually turned them over to the Eritrean Coast Guard.
“Filipino fishermen based in Saudi Arabia should resist the temptation to illegally fish outside the Kingdom’s borders, particularly in the seas of Eritrea where piracy has become a major concern,” the center said.
Four of these fishermen were declared missing in Sept. 2013 after their fishing vessel sailed into Eritrean waters. They have been working in Saudi Arabia as fishermen for several years. Eventually, they were detained by Eritrea.
Alexander Estomo, Vice-Consul of the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah, made representations through the Philippine Embassy in Cairo for the subsequent deportation of the Filipino fishermen.
The report said that “Patnubay”, an organization of servant-leaders based in Saudi Arabia assisted the fishermen in coordination with the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the Philippine Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, which has jurisdiction over Eritrea.
Overseas Filipino leaders Redentor Bual and Joseph Espiritu of Patnubay were instrumental in following up the case from Jeddah where the fishermen were actually employed. ACTS OFW party-list representative John Bertiz also closely monitored the case.
The Blas F. Ople Policy Center assisted the families of the fishermen in providing much needed information and documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Ople Center said it intends to refer the fishermen to the National Reintegration Center for overseas Filipinos for appropriate assistance.
Susan Ople, head of the policy center, urged the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to look into the recruitment and deployment of Filipino fishermen to Saudi Arabia as well as their current work conditions to ensure that their rights are protected.
