MANILA, Philippines – Fed up with their delayed repatriation, a group of undocumented Filipinos allegedly thought of one solution: to damage the Philippine consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday, July 26.

The Filipinos allegedly tried to burn the consulate, GMA News reported Friday. The DFA didn’t specify the charge against them, and simply said the OFWs “were suspected of preparing to do damage to the Consulate General in Jeddah.”

In a press briefing on Friday, DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the 5 suspects immediately fell in the hands of authorities. Hernandez said they will only worsen their situation, as violence “will not solve the problem.”

He warned them: “In fact, it will definitely make matters worse, especially for the perpetrators, as it will further delay their repatriation. Let us not put the lives of our fellow Filipinos at risk because of extreme measures which are clearly counterproductive.”

Hernandez said the Saudi diplomatic police apprehended them last Monday, and released them while an investigation is underway.

“Allegedly, the attempt was really to dramatize the situation they are in and to compel both the consulate general and the Saudi government to repatriate them as soon as possible,” he said.

Follow procedures

Hernandez added: “In light of this incident, we would like to reiterate that our government is doing its utmost to repatriate undocumented Filipinos in Saudi Arabia. But as I have said before, they have to go through the host government’s bureaucratic procedures. Violence will not solve the problem.”

He said 50 undocumented Filipinos will arrive from Riyadh this weekend, bringing the total number of repatriates to 1,358.

He said 691 of these come from Riyadh and Saudi Arabia’s eastern region, while 667 come from Jeddah.

The Saudi government is implementing a crackdown on undocumented workers, and has extended to November 3 the deadline for legalizing their status. Saudi initially gave them until July 3.

Violators face up to two years in prison and fines of at least 1,000 riyal or $27,000. – Rappler.com

Hand with burning match image via Shutterstock