Press Statement

May 28, 2008

Source Verification:
Ramon Bultron, Managing Director

We call for the Immediate Assistance on Six OFW's in
Deportation Center in Kuwait

The Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, a regional migrant centre based in Hong Kong deplores the indifference of the Philippine government on the plight of 6 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW's) in Talha Jaleeb deportation center in Kuwait. They have been detained for a period of two months to a year now for different cases. Their existence only came to light when 7 OFW's who allegedly led a strike in Al Jassim Trucking Company last April were detained there and subsequently were deported back to the Philippines on May 16.

APMM had written by e-mail Ambassador Endaya twice on May 12 and on May 17 initially inquiring on three of the detained OFW's. All we got were two immediate answers acknowledging receipt of our letters and nothing more after that.

Some of the family members of the 6 OFW's had earlier approached different government agencies in the Philippines which include the DFA, OWWA and even Vice President Noli de Castro. The family of Rommel Bulanon already did this as far back as November 2007 and got no positive response from all 3 mentioned above. Melvine Panaga's family fared worse. They were told by DFA officials on April 2 that they were prioritizing bigger cases than that of Melvin's.

Melvin was arrested by the police in January this year because his landlord accused him of not paying his rent for three months. Rommel was jailed in November last year for overstaying even if he already informed the Embassy about this potential problem. He had earlier won a case against his employer who falsely accused him of theft.

Amando Abando was charged for alleged drunkenness. He already has a ticket to go back home and a passport yet he is still in detention since April this year. Juanito Tulo who used to work also in Al Jassim Trucking Company has been detained for a year now allegedly for an absconding case. We do not have any details yet on the two remaining Filipinos detained at the deportation center. They would have remained forgotten had it not been for the 7 OFW's who are presently being assisted by Migrante International.

What the Philippine Embassy should do is to ensure that the 6 are given due process, provided the needed legal assistance and if need be call for the release of any or all of the 6 if there is no legal basis for their deportation. They should also investigate why no assistance was given Rommel to extend his legal stay in Kuwait.

The Philippine authorities in Kuwait cannot forever pretend that the 6 do not exist and designate their cases as unimportant. To do so would be equivalent to criminal neglect.
Philippine Embassy officials should prepare to a day of reckoning with the 6, their families and the rest of the more than 100,000 Filipinos in Kuwait if they continue with this kind of indifferent attitude.