Friday, November 14, 2008 Help for OFW in Jeddah deadly mishap assured
MALACAÑANG said all possible assistance would be extended to the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who allegedly killed seven Saudi Arabian nationals and injured several others after he commandeered a shuttle bus full of employees in Jeddah and rammed into four other vehicles.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still trying to get the complete details of the incident and determine why it happened and what prompted Regour de Padua to do such a thing.
"We don't know yet the real story, what really happened; but since he (de Padua) is a Filipino, we will be extending all the support that can be given to him," Fajardo said.
She also defended the DFA for being "slow" in the release of information about the incident, saying they only want to ensure that whatever information they give out are accurate.
"We will tell the DFA to hasten the release of information on the incident next time," she added.
Reports said de Padua, 33, had not been himself for the past few days prior to the incident.
He has reportedly started work as a driver in Jeddah last October 5.
Asked if this latest incident would prompt the government to impose a psychological test on all Filipinos that are leaving the country to work and live abroad, Fajardo said this should be studied further and considered.
"There had been many cases in past. It's about time it will be implemented. It's for their own good," she said adding that Malacañang maybe amenable to such measure.
As this developed, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appealed to Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud to stay the execution of Filipinos Rolando and Edison Gonzalez and Eduardo Arcilla who were sentenced to death for killing fellow Filipinos in Jeddah more than two years ago.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the President made the appeal at the sideline of Thursday's 63rd United Nations General Assembly on interfaith dialogue and inter-religion, and the Crown Prince has committed to look into the cases of the three. (JMR/Sunnex)
