DFA asked: Conduct inventory of OFWs in jail

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should conduct an inventory of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in jail and to set more frequent visits to monitor their situation and ensure their protection, a group that helps OFWs in distress urged.

Blas F. Ople Center made the call after it found another OFW has been jailed in Saudi Arabia on drug-related case without a court ruling.

This is the second case the group has exposed after OFW Jonathan “Jojo” Bigas, who has overstayed in jail for 16 months now after serving a one-year imprisonment sentence.

Jason Pineda, a 36-year-old OFW, wrote to the center also to seek legal assistance after being jailed for one year and nine months on a drug-related charge without a sentence on his case, said the group.

Pineda was arrested when a package sent from the Philippines in his name was found to contain illegal drugs.

“Jason is seeking legal help because he has been serving a sentence that has yet to be handed down since the judge has yet to rule on his case. He has appeared before the court four times without a lawyer because he does not have the money to pay for one. The last time he was summoned by the court was in April of this year,” said Susan Ople, of the center named after her father.

“A thorough investigation is called for on how and why a Filipino worker was made to serve his sentence twice, and how many more are suffering the same fate in detention centers not just in Saudi Arabia but around the world,” the former labor undersecretary said.

Ople batted for the posting of legal attachés to the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where there are numerous runaway and abused workers.

The ratio of embassy personnel to OFWs in Saudi Arabia is 1 for every 30,000 OFWs. The designation of specialized attaches will help serve the needs and protect the rights of OFWs, she added.

The organization warned OFWs that “there is zero tolerance for drug-related crimes” in Saudi Arabia.

“Involvement in illegal drugs is a very serious crime, regardless of which boundary you cross and where you are in the world. We urge our OFWs to stay away from drugs whether as carriers or users because this crime often carries the maximum penalty,” she said.

Jason Pineda decided to write to the center after learning about its intervention in the case of fellow detainee Bigas. –INQUIRER.net