Help sought for Pinoys on drug charges in Saudi Arabia

12Nov09

An advocacy group for called for the immediate assistance to Filipinos who have overstayed their jail terms in Saudi Arabia for drug-related charges.

The Blas F. Ople Foundation, a migrants’ advocacy group, expressed concern over the fate of Jason Pineda who has been in jail for one year and nine months on a drug-related charge without a court ruling or sentence on his case.

Pineda, 36, was detained at the Dammam Jail sometime in March 2008 when a package sent from the Philippines in his name was found to contain illegal drugs, the group said.

Pineda denied being engaged in the sale or use of illegal drugs.

“He has appeared before the court four times without a lawyer because he does not have the money to pay for one,” the foundation said, adding that the last time Pineda was summoned by the court was last April.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Pineda is awaiting the final decision of the Grand Court of Dammam on his case.

Pineda allegedly received 21.2 grams of methamphetamine and sold it to his fellow Filipinos in Saudi Arabia.

“According to Saudi authorities, he allegedly confessed to the commission of the crime,” the DFA said. Mr. Pineda remains in detention since under local laws, bail is not granted for drug-related cases, according to the Philippine Embassy.

The DFA said Pineda’s case was endorsed by the General Prosecutor to the Grand Court of Dammam and is still under the said court’s study and review.

Meanwhile, the Ople Center urged the Philippine government to immediately repatriate Jonathan “Jojo” Bigas, who was supposed to be released from Saudi prison last August 2008 but remains in detention.

The DFA earlier said that Bigas, who was sentenced to one year imprisonment and 250 lashes, is still in jail due to “administrative procedures between the Saudi court and the Governor’s Office.”

“Pineda’s case is different from Jojo Bigas because the latter had already served his sentence twice over while the former is in jail without a final court decision,” the Ople Center said.

The Ople Center warned Filipinos bound for Saudi Arabia that drug-related offenses are considered as major crimes. “In Saudi Arabia, like in most countries, there is zero tolerance for drug-related crimes,” the center added.

“Involvement in illegal drugs is a very serious crime, regardless of which boundary you cross and where you are in the world. We urge our OFWs to stay away from drugs whether as carriers or users, because this crime often carries the maximum penalty,” the center said.

Former labor undersecretary Susan Ople, who heads the foundation, said it is important to post legal attachés to the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where there is a high number of runaway and abused workers.

“The ratio of embassy personnel to OFWs in Saudi Arabia alone is 1 for every 30,000 OFWs. The designation of specialized attaches will help a lot in serving the needs and protecting the rights of our workers,” the Ople Center said.