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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Filipino in hot water for ‘dirty finger’ sketch in Saudi Arabia

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MANILA, Philippines—A 32-year-old overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia was thrown into jail for allegedly sketching a lewd hand gesture on a piece of paper which offended his Arab supervisor, a migrant worker group said.

The drawing of a dirty finger with an expletive against Muslim Prophet Mohammad, prompted the mutawa, or Saudi religious police to arrest and send the unnamed factory worker to jail, the Riyadh-based OFW group Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS).

The male OFW, said to be a native of Laguna, “has been detained at the Azizia Police Station (on Exit 20 in the Saudi capital) since October 14,” according to KGS chair Eric Jocson.

Jocson did not identify the Filipino migrant worker.

But in an e-mail to the INQUIRER, Jocson said the OFW was allegedly “caught by his supervisor with the illustration.

“Upon seeing the sketch, the OFW’s supervisor asked him, “What is that?” The OFW replied, “Not for you.” His supervisor then asked, “If not me, to whom did you say that?” said the KGS leader.

It was the supervisor who reported the incident to the mutawa, disclosed Jocson.

The OFW had earlier “complained against his supervisor’s decision to transfer him to another job site,” also in the Saudi capital, noted Jocson.

“It’s unfortunate that because of what he had sketched, the OFW was sent to jail,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East coordinator.

The OFW “might face a case of violation of Saudi customary prohibitions,” said Monterona.

Migrante-Middle East plans to consult a Shariah lawyer, as well as seek the help of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, to “provide legal assistance to the jailed OFW.”

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