Friday, March 17, 2017

Distressed OFW in Saudi Arabia returns home in Aklan

 BY BOY RYAN B, ZABAL

An overseas Filipino worker who was hired in Saudi Arabia returned home to the Philippines after spending time in jail in Dammam.  He was deported on March 14, 2017.

Bernie Zaradulla
Bernie Zaradulla, 34, from Alas-as, Madalag, Aklan started working on March 26, 2016 as sandwich maker in a restaurant in Hafar al Batin. According to Zaradulla, three of them decided to leave the job on September 5, 2016 after their Arab employer failed to pay their monthly wages. 

"Sa first three months, kaya niya kaming pasahurin dahil may salary deduction pa. Humina ang kita ng restaurant dahil nag-opened  ang isang restaurant malapit sa amin. Sa ika-apat hanggang ika-anim na buwan, kulang na ang suweldo niya sa amin," Zaradulla claimed. 


The victims said they were forced to work for more than eight hours a day, with no day off, no payment of overtime work.

“Hindi ko ikinahihiya at hindi pinagsisihan ang nangyari sa amin at sa pagtakas namin sa employer. Pag tumagal kami doon nag trabaho lang kami sa wala. Pag malapit na  ang swelduhan gumagawa siya ng paraan kung ano binibentang sa amin para ma salary deduction kami,” Zaradulla said.

Citing they were deprived of proper compensation, they sought the assistance of Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh, which is a five-hour drive from Hafar al Batin. The following day, their Arab employer complained of  horrob or run-away case against Zaradulla and his two Filipino workers with the Saudi police.

"Naghanap muna kami ng part-time jobs para sa aming survival, sa pagkain at makapagpadala kami ng pera sa pamilya," Zaradulla said. 

Last January, the three decided to pursue the case against their Arab employer with the help of POLO Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) Riyadh, which ordered the employment agency of Zaradulla to hold the processing of papers until they will be paid of their back wages.   

An agreement was reached between the employment agency and the OFWs to pay their  two-month salary but to no avail.  

Zaradulla said the employer also asked them for 16,000 riyals to release them, but, they denied owing any money from him.

On February 19, the distressed victims returned to Hafar al Batin to file a police case against their Arab employer, but, the local police were there to arrest them. They were brought to the police station and later, detained at Dammam deportation center. 

"Pagdating namin galing sa biyahe, may mga pulis na naghihintay sa amin. Naset-up kami. Sa loob ng kulungan, pinabayaan kami. Naglakas loob kami na gumamit ng cellphone. Ang nagbibigay ng pagkain sa kulungan, nagbebenta siya ng cellphone, kumuha kami sa kanya. Patago naming kinakausap  ang pamilya namin at kinauukulan," he said.

Zaradulla said they were being held in a deportation centre in Dammam for two weeks, uncertain of his fate if he could rejoin his family in the Philippines.

Last week, a wife of Zaradulla's co-worker also sought the help of Mr. Ben Tulfo of  "Bitag" who also asked the assistance of OWWA on March 10. Two days after, officials of POLO Alkhobar processed the release papers of Zaradulla and his two co-workers. On March 14, at around 10 p.m. the OFWs were deported to the Philippines safely. 

“I was brought to jail in hand-cuffed by the police.Dinaan sa likod hanggang sa immigration, pauwi ng Pilipinas," Zaradulla added. 

Zaradulla was set to arrive in Aklan on March 18.


The article was originally published by independent online blog Aklan Forum Journal. The unrestricted use in print or radio, publication and distribution of articles are allowed provided the original author and Aklan Forum Journal are credited. 

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