21 April 2006 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo announced that the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have immediate access to the Filipinos now under detention in Jeddah following the police investigation on the missing OFWs and the crackdown on various illegal activities.

Secretary Romulo met at 4:00 p.m. at the DFA H. E.  Mohammed Ameen Mohammed Wali, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for a follow-up discussion on the case of the detained OFWs.  Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns Rafael  E. Seguis met Ambassador Wali to express the concern of the Philippine Government over the reported mass arrest of OFWs in Jeddah in connection with the investigation by police authorities on missing Filipinos and on certain illegal activities as well as on the importance of access by the Consulate General to the detained Filipinos.

As a result of yesterday’s meeting, Ambassador Wali informed Secretary Romulo that, following his call with police authorities in Jeddah last night, the Jeddah police will now provide immediate access by officials of the Philippine Consulate General to the OFWs under detention and investigation.

Secretary Romulo said that “Consul General Lomondot will communicate with Lt. Col. Abdulrahman Al-Malki, Chief of Intelligence, Janoobiyah Police Intelligence Office, for access to the detained OFWs and will immediately be granted the opportunity to meet the Filipinos.”

In announcing this development on the efforts of the Department in relation to the case of the OFWs, Secretary Romulo stressed that “the access of our consular officials in Jeddah is vital to the delivery of assistance to the distressed Filipinos, particularly in ensuring that their rights under international humanitarian laws are protected and their physical welfare adequately looked after while under detention and investigation.”

Earlier reports of Consul General Lomondot advised the Department that under Saudi laws, persons under detention while being investigated by the police would be incommunicado for sixty days.  With this information, the Department conveyed to the Saudi Government through Ambassador Wali the concerns of the Philippines on the arrest of the Filipinos and the need for access by consular officials in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Secretary Romulo expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Ambassador Wali in conveying to his government the need for consular access to the detained Filipinos.  “The Department will continue this dialogue with Ambassador Wali and the coordination with the Consulate General in Jeddah to ensure that the legal rights of the Filipinos are protected and Philippine Government assistance is made readily available to our countrymen in distress,” Secretary Romulo said. END