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MANILA, Philippines?A Filipino worker awaiting deportation along with more than 200 Filipinos has died at Saudi Arabia?s Hajj Airport, where living conditions are dire and unsanitary, according to Migrante International.
In a statement, Migrante International chairman Garry Martinez said his group recently received a text message from one of their affiliates in the kingdom about the death of one overseas Filipino worker identified only as Edward.
Martinez said the message from one Filipino deportee said the man was housed in Cell No. 1.
The organization said the appalling living condition in the deportation center might have contributed to the death of the OFW. Martinez said there were text messages from the deportees, saying their holding cells were crowded and dirty.
"It's too hot and cramped, we cannot drink here, all of us are getting sick (with) fever, we can not stand up because our bodies are too weak Yesterday, one of us collapsed," one of the messages read.
Martinez urged the government's swift action on the matter and to send a medical team to the airport detention center to look after the Filipino workers.
?We demand (that) Arroyo immediately send a chartered flight to Jeddah to bring home our fellow Filipinos. The government has all the power and resources to do so,? said Martinez.
?We also demand that Philippine embassy deploy a team of doctors, nurses, and social workers that would provide round-the-clock service to the Filipinos. We also demand them to release an honest report of the state of the Filipinos at the deportation center so that we can ask the Filipino community in Saudi for ?bayanihan,?? added Martinez.
A statement from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said they have sent inquiries to welfare officers in Saudi Arabia to confirm the reported death.
OWWA said foreigners are not allowed to enter the center.
