Press Release No. 40

Embassy of the Philippines - Riyadh
23 December 2003

16 OFWs not detained
- Philippine Embassy

The 16 overseas Filipino workers who occupied the Philipine Chancery lobby for eight days were not arrested and detained.

The Embassy issued this denial in view of a malicious misinformation campaign launched by a certain group against the handling of the so-called "hunger strike."

If it is true, as reported, that the 16 were arrested and detained, they would not be gleefully reunited with their handlers in the labyrinths of Batha, where they are reportedly busy drawing up new plots against the Embassy and the Philippine government, a senior official of the Embassy revealed.

The decision of the Embassy to escort them to the hospital for check-up was done for humanitarian consideration, the official added.

As reported by one newspaper, the "hunger strikers" were allegedly starting to collapse, although one one of them was strong enough to hurl a monoblock chair and another kicked a wall in full public display of violence.

The Embassy also pointed out that one reason the "strike" lasted eight days was precisely to engage the group in a series of dialogues which centered on the Embassy's repeated for them cooperate so that their cases could be solved.

However, they refused to cooperate because according to them, they do not want their cases solved individually.

This was an unreasonable demand as they have different sponsors with various complaints, the Embassy official pointed out.

The Embassy also denied that it hired thugs to harm the group.

What the Mission gathered is that some individuals are looking for the leader of the group to settle some scores with him. It appears that this leader who is facing an embezzlement charge, owes some people some debts and they are eager to collect on those debts. Moreover, this leader is also being sought by his employer to account for a hefty amount of "embezzled" fund.

The Embassy source said this was the main reason why he fled to the Embassy - to seek "sanctuary" and used innocent OFWs as his "human shields."