Mom of OFW tortured in Saudi Arabia pleads for gov’t help

BAGUIO CITY—The mother of a Baguio resident, who is among the undocumented Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia seeking repatriation, has asked the government to expedite their exit, saying her son has been traumatized after allegedly enduring torture while under detention.

Angeline Payangdo said her son, Marvin, 23, was among the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who picketed and were dispersed by the Saudi police on July 2 at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office  in Riyadh.

Payangdo and Marvin’s wife, Margie, met reporters here on Wednesday to make the plea to the Department of Foreign Affairs  and Malacañang.

“My son told us that he was arrested and was subjected to electric shock by Saudi policemen,” Payangdo said.

Marvin was supposed to be part of the batch of undocumented OFWs to be flown back to the Philippines on July 4, but processing delays had forced authorities to reschedule the flight to July 15,  Payangdo said.

“All I want is for you to bring my son home,” she said in Ilocano. “Bring a large airplane to Saudi so you (the government) can bring all of them home.”

Payangdo said her son escaped from  his employer in June after he was allegedly stabbed with a screwdriver by one of his supervisors in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

She said Marvin accepted a two-year contract as a welder and electrical engineer. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon