SAUDI Arabia - About 14 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were reportedly among the 100 expatriates arrested during a forbidden religious service in Saudi Arabia.

John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante Middle East Chapter, said the news about the arrest was relayed to them by 2 OFWs.

“We would like to remind our fellow OFWs to respect the cultural prohibitions imposed by the host country specifically performing religious worship other than Islam. We are ‘foreigners’ of third class category here in Saudi,” Monterona said.

Monterona said the 2 OFWs, who declined to be identified, called him up on separate occasions on Saturday morning informing him about the arrests made by the Saudi Cultural police on Friday.

The callers said the cultural police arrived while the group was conducting a Christian religious service.

“To avoid getting into trouble like this one, our fellow OFWs must be cautious and must have a ‘sense of extra care’ especially in Saudi Arabia, which has been known to be strictly implementing its cultural laws not only to their own nationals but also to expatriates or foreign workers including OFWs,” he added.

According to Monterona, Migrante case officers are now coordinating with Philippine Embassy officials to get more information about the incident.