This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 24, July 24-30, 2005
Four members of Migrante
sectoral party were reportedly beaten up by Philippine Consulate officials in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as they were heading for a dialogue. The consulate
officials involved in the mauling should be fired and prosecuted, Migrante has
demanded.
BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN Overseas Filipino workers
in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who were hurt during a picket dispersal at
the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on July 16 have
charged that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is covering-up the
incident. According to the Asia
Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), around 30 members of OUTRAGE (Overseas
Filipinos, Families and Advocates: Unite and Rise to Oust Gloria)-Jeddah, who
were also members of the Jeddah chapter of Migrante Sectoral Party, gathered at
the Philippine Consulate for a dialogue with government officials on the plight
of stranded workers. They also wanted to express their demand for President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation. MSP-Jeddah identified the
other persons hurt as Irene Mahinay, Jackiline Pakpakin and Jessica Hapos. Hapos
and Mahinay suffered blows to the stomach while others sustained injuries while
trying to protect Legaspi from being further harmed. Legaspi, in an email sent
to Migrante Sectoral Party national office on July 21, said that OFWs sheltered
at the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) obtained a permit that
allowed leaders of the Migrante International-Jeddah Chapter accompany them in a
dialogue that same day. This is contrary to the
report of Consul General Pendosina Lomondot to the DFA that eight persons
entered the Philippine Consulate there and “tried to stage a protest using the
tenants of the Filipino Workers’ Resource Center (FWRC) as a horde to voice out
‘Oust GMA’ slogans.” Legaspi also said that 37, and not just eight, OFWs were in
the dialogue. He added that security men
closed the Consulate’s gate, while about 100 “goons” were allegedly hiding
inside the two rooms waiting for them to come out at the end of the dialogue. Baby Jamil, leader of the
women sheltered in OWWA Center in Jeddah, was also harassed by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development staff Perlita Panganiban and other Consulate’s
“pro-GMA” staff, it was reported. “This incident shows how
the Macapagal-Arroyo administration treats us overseas Filipinos,” MSP
chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said last week. “This further adds to our
reasons why we want Gloria to be ousted.” Bulatlat
called OWWA’s Repatriation Department, Operation Center, and Information Office
to get their version of the incident but personnel from these offices referred
this reporter to the DFA. The DFA however only sent a press release issued July
18. In the press release,
Ampang was said to have first “advised them to stop the action as it was
affecting the work of the staff” and “explained to the protesters that coaxing
the tenants of the FWRC, all of whom were women, to leave the Consulate premises
would be detrimental to the safety of the tenants” before “a fistfight suddenly
broke out among the parties.” In the DFA press release,
Secretary Alberto Romulo “advised the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General
in the Kngdon of Saudi Arabia (KSA) of the existing instructions to all Foreign
Service Posts on security measures for the premises and personnel to ensure the
uninterrupted delivery of essential services to their clients.” Migrante International’s
secretary general, Maita Santiago, criticized that instead of covering up the
incident, involved officials should be prosecuted. Migrante immediately called
for the immediate dismissal of Philippine Labor officers Yusof, Ampang, and
involved security guards. DFA spokesman Gilberto
Asuque, however told Bulatlat on July 19 over the phone that “hindi
ginagawa ng [Consulate] officials ang pambubugbog ng migrante
(beating of migrants).” Neglect More than being
reprimanded, Santiago told Bulatlat that Migrante and victimized OFWs are
planning to file charges of physical injury and neglect at the Office of the
Ombudsman against involved officials. Santiago said the July 16
dialogue was arranged to discuss the plight of stranded workers. Migrante
records shows there are about 300 stranded OFWs for repatriation in Jeddah
alone, which included Legaspi. In the same email to MSP,
Legaspi said that when asked for updates on his case, Lomondot said his employer
has not set a date for discussion of the case. Legaspi said they have not done
anything about his case since he filed complaints against his employer for
contract substitution and unjust wage. Legaspi said that the
Consulate could issue his travel documents but it instead opted to delay his
repatriation “to get back to him for making the officials feel humiliated.” Aside from Migrante, the
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has also issued an Urgent Action Appeal to
Philippine and KSA officials concerning the incident. Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
MIGRANT WATCH
Jeddah OFWs Beaten Up by
Consulate Officials, Decry DFA Cover-up
Bulatlat
When the OFWs were about to take out the placards bearing the “Oust GMA”
calls, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) officer Anwar Ampang, backed by
two security guards and an alleged goon identified as Yusof, reportedly started
hitting Leo Legaspi, former Migrante chairperson and leader of the protesting
group. The beating reportedly damaged Legaspi’s ear.
Prosecute
“These officials do not serve the interests and welfare of OFWs in
Jeddah,” Bragas-Regalado said. “They exhibit the type of leadership and
treatment distressed OFWs get under Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Bahnarim Guinomla and the bogus President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”