Manila: An organisation for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) has appealed to compatriots to follow the laws of their host country following a report that a Filipina has been implicated in a suspected terror plot in Saudi Arabia.
John Leonard Monterona, coordinator of the overseas Filipino workers group Migrante Middle East, said fellow Philippine nationals in the region should abide by the rules of their hosts to avoid repercussions that could jeopardise their own safety.
“We are renewing our advice and warning to all OFWs, regular or undocumented, in the Kingdom to strictly obey the laws of the host government and avoid doing activities that will be construed as a threat to the host government [and the] peace and order situation,” Monterona, who is employed in Riyadh, said.
“As we regard Saudi Arabia our second home, we should help foster peace and order in the Kingdom in our own little way and whichever way we can,” he said.
Last Wednesday, a Filipina, whom reports identified as Gioi or “Joy” Bali Nang, was arrested by security forces in a raid carried out at the place where she stayed in Riyadh.
Joy had been living together with her Syrian boyfriend, identified as Yaser Mohammad Al Barrazi, for several months after she absconded from her employer 15 months ago.
Suspicions of their link to terrorism came after items such as explosive belts, materials used for making explosives and firearms, were seized from the house in Riyadh’s Al Fayah district.
With the arrest of the Filipina, Migrante International urged her compatriots to avoid being sweet-talked into committing similar mistakes of conniving with suspected terrorists.
According to Monterona, undocumented Filipinos are susceptible to being manipulated to perform tasks that are against their will and better judgement.
“Undocumented or ‘illegal’ OFWs, like many other undocumented expatriate workers in the Kingdom, are in a deplorable situation after running away from their employers due to alleged abuses and labour malpractices. Such was the situation of Joy,” explained Monterona.
Monterona urged the Philippine government, through its embassy, to look into Joy’s situation.
For its part, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it will conduct an investigation into the matter and determine first if Joy is indeed a Filipina.
As a Filipina who ran into legal problems abroad, she is entitled to government protection.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said if Joy is indeed confirmed to be Filipina, the Philippine Embassy would provide her with a lawyer.
“First, authorities in Saudi Arabia must grant us consular access to determine if she is really a Filipina,” Jose said.
For his part, Monterona said there were reports that some OFWs in Saudi Arabia are being subjected to coercion by terrorist groups to perform illegal acts.
“There were reports dating back 2013 about OFWs in Saudi Arabia being harassed by suspected terrorist groups. Some of these victim, fearing the repercussions, had voluntarily returned to the Philippines for fear and being linked to terrorism,” Monterona said.
