SAUDI Arabia – An advocate of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on Wednesday urged the Philippine post to probe the 2 alleged incidents of rape and abduction involving Filipina nurses in Saudi Arabia.

According to Eric Jocson, chairperson of the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), the first incident happened to a Filipino nurse working at the Riyadh Kharj Hospital.

Joscon said the nurse took a cab after her company service bus left without her. He said unidentified men stopped the taxi that was taking her to her accommodation.

The following day, the Filipino nurse was found in the desert and in serious condition. There was an indication that she was raped and heavily beaten. She was immediately brought to RKH hospital.

However, 2 weeks later, the Pinay nurse died while confined at the hospital.

The second incident, Jocson said, involved 3 Pinay nurses working at the National Guard Hospital also in Riyadh.

Witnesses saw the nurses walking from their accommodation to a department store to buy something. A car stopped behind them and the 3 were forced inside the car.

They were found days later in a secluded area in Riyadh. They were also gang raped.

Jocson believes that Philippine embassy in Riyadh is already informed about the incidents. He hopes that the Philippine post is now conducting its investigation to give justice to the victims.

For his part, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona criticized the RP post for not issuing a safety advisory to the Filipino community.
 
“It is a routine for the RP officials in Riyadh to issue the necessary advisory to caution or warn its nationals and remind them to take extra care,” Monterona added.