The sex
for fly scandal involving officials in different diplomatic posts of the
country in the Middle East is just the tip of the iceberg and must be seen in
the context of the crackdown being done against undocumented overseas Filipino
workers (OFWs), particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to Bayan
Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares
Undocumented OFWs especially in
Saudi Arabia are being driven desperate, especially with the resumption of
crackdown efforts on July 3. Around six thousand have set up Tent Cities in
Jeddah and Riyadh so that they can be assisted by the embassies but the opposite
is happening,
According to some reports from OFW
organizations in Saudi Arabia, aside from sexual favors, migrants are also being
asked to pay for their own tickets and use the ‘back door’ procedure.
An independent comprehensive
probe on all the Philippine missions in the Middle East and the immediate
repatriation of our countrymen in the Tent Cities must be done with urgency.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) can spearhead the investigation and migrant
groups and legislators can be part of the team.
The immediate repatriation of
undocumented migrants is crucial before the Saudi government again embarks on a
martial law-style crackdown. “If the Aquino government cannot immediately
repatriate them then the least we can do is to ask for an extension until all
of them are back in the Philippines, the Bayan Muna lawmaker added.
The present situation of our
undocumented workers in Saudi is indeed very difficult with the Saudi
government threatening them with prison and bodily harm, and the Philippine
embassy trying to disperse the Tent Cities by reportedly blockading food and
water for women and children.
Worse, our own officials are
doubly exploiting our Filipino women.
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