Distressed OFW in Unjust Legal Predicament Under Con Gen Ezzedin Tago's Watch
Imagine yourself sitting in the driver seat of a company truck while parked on the shoulder of the highway that is under construction. Along came a speeding car driven by an old man crashing into your vehicle thus killing the speeding driver. If you are in the west your vehicle insurance will take care of the damage and if you suffered an injury in that accident you have a valid claim for medical treatment.
In the west that would have been a no contest because traffic rules and regulations requires drivers to slow down in a construction zone for safety reasons. But not in Al Saba in the mountain region of Assir in Saudi Arabia where a Filipino OFW named Eddie C. Javier, driver at the general contractor Shibh Al Jazeera and Ali Fairs Ahmad Al Hassaner is now languishing in jail since June 29, 2008 the day after the accident.
The family of the Saudi old man lodges a complaint with the league of morons’ errr Saudi court for the death of their relative causing damages to the tune of 97,000 Riyals (US$56,887.00). Say whaaaat? The Saudi man speeding and crashing on a vehicle that was parked as in immobile and the league of morons’ errr Saudi court ruled it was the fault of the driver of the parked vehicle. Hmmmmn, how perverted or illogical can they get? Was it because the vehicle was in the way of the speedster that Eddie Javier being a migrant worker and a Filipino at that will of course be blamed?
This is a country in the midst of modernization and it seems they have not heard of insurance which would have taken care of the damages. The woes of OFW Eddie Javier does not end there as if to make matter worse like a nightmarish situation while in prison his contract expired and his employer general contractors Shibh Al Jazeera and Ali Fairs Ahmad Al Hassaner has disavowed any responsibility enough to have him declared abandoned. These moronic contractors seems to forget that they own the vehicle not OFW Eddie Javier who is only the driver and this makes me wonder why the family is running after Javier instead of the contractor duo. If it is monetary damages they seek is it not logical to run after the contractors instead of the driver being paid only a pittance? Or is it because Filipinos are easy pickings owing to the xenophobic attitude of the league of morons errr courts in Saudi Arabia as in if you did not go to this desert country of ours the accident would not have happened? Did they just fish their puny brains out the toilet or what?
This is again under the watch of Consul General Ezzedin Tago (the consul where OFW Bedoya was beheaded for lack of legal representation and Ryan Anievas at the risk of long prison term) in his refusal to provide legal representation to OFWs in dire situations has the gall to point a finger on the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (Oumwa) of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila who he says has the mandate to do so and not him. What is his job description then, chief party animal whose “mandate” is to show his ugly errr face in petty Filipino community events? Excuse me but as the Consul general should he not request assistance with Oumwa or does he feel it is too degrading for someone in his “stature” to “request” thus he flatly stress it was not his mandate?
No wonder people are reacting negatively like Prof. Cesar Torres urging people in Saudi Arabia, especially those in the Worldwide Filipino Alliance, and the PPP, like Jun Aguilar, Jauhari Usman, Rudy Dianalan, Ka Corly Obtinalla, Pope John, to do something such as writing a petition to have this DFA official sent to Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq. Maybe that is exactly what is needed for DFA officials to realize the importance of their positions in making a difference in the lives of distressed OFWs. Another reaction coming from JM Nepomuceno of PHP Global Network, to quote:
Meanwhile while the government has no problem spending or squandering hundreds of millions for fertilizer scams and other anomalous projects the OFWs left on their own raising funds to help those with criminal cases, to quote Migrante-KSA Chairman A. M. Ociones:
In the west that would have been a no contest because traffic rules and regulations requires drivers to slow down in a construction zone for safety reasons. But not in Al Saba in the mountain region of Assir in Saudi Arabia where a Filipino OFW named Eddie C. Javier, driver at the general contractor Shibh Al Jazeera and Ali Fairs Ahmad Al Hassaner is now languishing in jail since June 29, 2008 the day after the accident.
The family of the Saudi old man lodges a complaint with the league of morons’ errr Saudi court for the death of their relative causing damages to the tune of 97,000 Riyals (US$56,887.00). Say whaaaat? The Saudi man speeding and crashing on a vehicle that was parked as in immobile and the league of morons’ errr Saudi court ruled it was the fault of the driver of the parked vehicle. Hmmmmn, how perverted or illogical can they get? Was it because the vehicle was in the way of the speedster that Eddie Javier being a migrant worker and a Filipino at that will of course be blamed?
This is a country in the midst of modernization and it seems they have not heard of insurance which would have taken care of the damages. The woes of OFW Eddie Javier does not end there as if to make matter worse like a nightmarish situation while in prison his contract expired and his employer general contractors Shibh Al Jazeera and Ali Fairs Ahmad Al Hassaner has disavowed any responsibility enough to have him declared abandoned. These moronic contractors seems to forget that they own the vehicle not OFW Eddie Javier who is only the driver and this makes me wonder why the family is running after Javier instead of the contractor duo. If it is monetary damages they seek is it not logical to run after the contractors instead of the driver being paid only a pittance? Or is it because Filipinos are easy pickings owing to the xenophobic attitude of the league of morons errr courts in Saudi Arabia as in if you did not go to this desert country of ours the accident would not have happened? Did they just fish their puny brains out the toilet or what?
This is again under the watch of Consul General Ezzedin Tago (the consul where OFW Bedoya was beheaded for lack of legal representation and Ryan Anievas at the risk of long prison term) in his refusal to provide legal representation to OFWs in dire situations has the gall to point a finger on the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (Oumwa) of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila who he says has the mandate to do so and not him. What is his job description then, chief party animal whose “mandate” is to show his ugly errr face in petty Filipino community events? Excuse me but as the Consul general should he not request assistance with Oumwa or does he feel it is too degrading for someone in his “stature” to “request” thus he flatly stress it was not his mandate?
No wonder people are reacting negatively like Prof. Cesar Torres urging people in Saudi Arabia, especially those in the Worldwide Filipino Alliance, and the PPP, like Jun Aguilar, Jauhari Usman, Rudy Dianalan, Ka Corly Obtinalla, Pope John, to do something such as writing a petition to have this DFA official sent to Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq. Maybe that is exactly what is needed for DFA officials to realize the importance of their positions in making a difference in the lives of distressed OFWs. Another reaction coming from JM Nepomuceno of PHP Global Network, to quote:
While the GRAND JURY and TRIAL JURY System has yet to be adopted in the Philippines, we just have to continue using available ways and means to "shake" this insensitive government. How about "stirring up" a "clamor" for the TERMINATION of this Consul General Ezzedin Tago IMMEDIATELY? I realize that it is best for the OFWs to take the "lead" for the demand. Perhaps, you can pass on / forward / convince one of the more active bloggers among the OFWs to take the cudgels for this.Let’s hear from other bloggers on what they say about this, but of course without getting distracted on pushing for the passage of HB 5657 filed by Bayan Muna Party List representative Satur Ocampo.
Grabe talaga ang kakapal ng tropa ni Arroyo sa gobyerno... puro kurakot lang talaga ang inaasikaso.
Meanwhile while the government has no problem spending or squandering hundreds of millions for fertilizer scams and other anomalous projects the OFWs left on their own raising funds to help those with criminal cases, to quote Migrante-KSA Chairman A. M. Ociones:
The independent initiatives to raise funds in support of OFWs charged with criminal offense, once again shows the discontent of OFWs for the inability of the government to provide assistance to compatriots in distress.Related articles:
- Saving Kabayan [countryman] OFW Ryan Torres Anievas
- Engaging Diaspora in Development - Lessons Learned, Challenges & Trends
- Undocumented Children Migrants Casualties of Migration & Poverty
- Illegal Filipino Migrant Street Children in Sabah, Malaysia
- Pagpag, A disgusting Glimpse on Poverty
- Bloggers Unite-Against Peddlers of Human Misery & Corruption
- Filipina OFW being Kept as Sex Slave, an RX
- Children of Poverty in the Philippines
- Children Casualties of Poverty in the Philippines
- Modern Day Heroes or Commodities in Human Trafficking of Slaves?
- Social Cost of Migration for Women OFW
- Men Raping Men
- The Dangers Men Face in Unlikely Situation
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5 Speak Out:
Hi PJ,
It's really sad to hear about our countrymen suffering from abuse in foreign lands.
Glad you brought this up.
Paul,
To blog about the dire situations of our fellow Filipino is the least we can do, hopefully to bring this to the attention of people who can make a difference.
PJ,
What do you think should be done? Ano ba maitutulong sa OFW na ito.
Paul,
I tried to get the attention of politicians that are on my FB friends by tagging them on the note but did not get any response.
Anyway, there is this House Bill 5657 filed by Satur Ocampo that aims to expand the scope and upgrade the program of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to provide full legal assistance to our migrant workers and overseas Filipinos in distress, amending Republic Act No. 8042 or the “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.” We can lobby our lawmakers to pass it immediately so as to protect our OFWs in the Middle East.
Also, you can blog about it and encourage others to do the same.
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