24 January 2005 – Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Mariano A. Dumia today reported to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo that they are already coordinating with the appropriate Saudi Authorities particularly with the Riyadh Police in the search for Mr. Suelito Casal Leong, the Filipino worker employed by Detecon Al Saudia Co. Ltd. (DETASAD) who had gone missing after being sent on a work related assignment on 11 January 2005.

In the meantime, the Department has already communicated  with Mr. Leong’s wife Amalia, a resident of Davao del Sur, to inform her of the actions being taken to locate her husband.  Mrs. Leong, who earlier spoke to media in Davao del Sur about her missing husband, informed the Department Sunday that she never claimed that her husband had been abducted.   Mrs. Leong further said that she is aware that the Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community in the KSA have been actively helping in the efforts to locate her husband.  Mrs. Leong also said that she would be going to the DFA Regional Consular Office in Davao City today to furnish more information on Suelito Leong that might be required by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

According to CDA Dumia’s report, the Philippine Embassy had already requested the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey the matter to their Ministry of Interior for appropriate action and to report any developments on the case.  The day after Mr. Leong went missing, his employer DETASAD wrote the Al Hamra District Police Station to seek assistance in locating the missing Filipino.  In response to the employer’s request, the Main Headquarters of the Riyadh Region Police issued a notice on the missing Filipino and directed police officials to undertake the search.   Initial information received by the Embassy from the Riyadh police and other contacts from various local hospitals and Filipino organizations in Saudi Arabia still have not shed light on the whereabouts of Mr. Leong.

The 40-year old Mr. Leong, a native of Pamplona, Negros Oriental, has been working for the telecommunications company DETASAD for the past eight years as a power technician.  On the morning of the 11th, Mr. Leong was dispatched on a work related assignment.  He has not reported back to the office since then.   The Toyota Corolla sedan he was driving with at the time could also not be located. END
 

/jay