11 June 2004 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert took time out from her busy schedule to cite the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh for effecting in record time the repatriation of the remains of three overseas Filipino workers who were killed by terrorists in Al Khobar on 29 May 2004.

“Following the DFA’s mandate to ensure the welfare and protection of our OFWs in the Middle East, our Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahnarim A. Guinomla, has been in constant touch with me and has managed to get the Saudi Arabian government to
facilitate the early release of the remains of our workers who died in the recent terrorist attack”, Secretary Albert said.  “I understand that it takes at the very least two weeks for the local Saudi authorities to process and approve the required documents but in this case, it took just over ten days.”

The caskets bearing the bodies of Mariano Faypon Cabasag, Feliciano Almerol Dizon III and Joelly Ripol Giray were shipped to Manila on 09 May 2004 under the personal supervision of Ambassador Guinomla who traveled from Riyadh to Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province see off the remains of the three Filipinos at the Damman International Airport.  Also on board the Gulf Air flight was Amelia Dizon, wife of the late Dizon, and their daughter Cathy.

While waiting for her long flight to Manila, Ambassador Guinomla assured Mrs. Dizon of the government’s full assistance to her family and to those of the other two victims of the attack.  Mrs. Dizon thanked the Ambassador and the Embassy’s personnel for the support and assistance extended.

At the airport, Ambassador Guinomla also thanked the employers of the three victims for their cooperation.

In his visit to Al-Khobar the day earlier, Ambassador Guinomla met with Mr. Alberto Costales, an OFW who survived the attack, who related to him how he was hit in an apparent cross-fire between security forces and suspected terrorists.  He also visited Mr. Marvin Cobilla Mereno, another OFW who was recuperating from his injuries at the Saad Specialist Hospital.  Taking advantage of his visit, Ambassador Guinomla addressed Filipino workers at the hospital’s auditorium where, among other things, he advised everybody to remain vigilant and to avoid potential terrorist target areas.  END