Binay: Saudi nixes bid to extend amnesty deadline for illegal migrants

By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo - 11 years ago

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) declined to extend its amnesty for “illegal” migrants.

“Humingi tayo ng extension pero hindi naman pumayag ang Saudi government (We asked for an extension but the Saudi government did not allow it),” Binay told Radyo Inquirer 990AM in an interview.

This means the Saudi government will continue with its crackdown on undocumented migrants as the amnesty lapsed on Sunday, allowing authorities to round up, jail and deport illegal aliens including undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

But Binay said Filipinos should not be alarmed since OFWs who are already undergoing the repatriation process won’t be arrested.

“Yung mga inaayos na ang kanilang mga papeles ay hindi naman huhulihin iyon. Ang huhulihin ay yung mga nagtatrabaho pa na hindi pa rin nag-apply (Those whose papers are bring process won’t be arrested. Those who will be arrested are (illegal migrants) those still working and have not applied (for repatriation),” he said.

The Vice President also assured the public that a P2-billion fund has been set aside for the re-integration program of OFWs returning to the country.

In another radio interview, Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said around 1,500 OFWs were at the Philippine Embassy in Saudi and were waiting for their immigration clearances and exit visa.

He said they will most likely be asked to stay in DFA temporary shelters in Riyadh and Jeddah to ensure their safety amid the crackdown.

“The Riyadh Philippine Embassy and the Jeddah Philippine Consulate have processed a total of 4,530 repatriations and released travel documents to 10,760 OFWs to date,” Binay said in a statement.

He said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) will also assist Filipinos who may have been detained after the expiration of the November 3 deadline for all foreign workers to legalize their stay in the kingdom.
“I was informed by Ambassador Ezzedin Tago that they have coordinated with POLO Riyadh and POLO Eastern and formed teams that will inspect jails, police stations, and deportation centers starting tomorrow (Tuesday) to check if there are any Filipinos affected by the inspection campaign after the lapse of the extension, and to provide them travel documents if necessary,” Binay said.

The Vice President said those who are still undergoing the process will be allowed to finish in the next few days without fearing arrests

The Commission on Overseas Filipinos estimates that some 108,000 undocumented Filipinos were staying in Saudi as of December 2012.