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MANILA, Philippines?Some 200 Filipinos who were imprisoned for petty offenses in Saudi Arabia have been pardoned and repatriated to the Philippines since December last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a news release.
"The Philippine embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine consulate general in Jeddah made vigorous representations on behalf of our Filipinos in jail and endorsed and followed up on their appeals for clemency with Saudi authorities," Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said.
Some 200 Filipinos previously in jail have been repatriated to the Philippines since December under a royal clemency granted by Saudi authorities.
On December 11, 2009, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah issued a royal pardon for petty crime offenders.
Half of the 200 pardoned are female, and half are males.
Eleven more pardoned Filipinos were originally scheduled for repatriation to Manila last Monday, but missed their midnight flight as their group, under escort by Saudi police authorities, arrived late at the airport. When they arrived, the plane which they were supposed to board had left.
The Philippine embassy is currently arranging the rebooking for their repatriation at the next available flight.
"The DFA remains focused on looking after the welfare of our OFWs, and will continue to do so," Conejos said.
