GMA gets 50 jailed Pinays freed in Saudi

PRESIDENT Arroyo has secured the release of 50 Filipino women languishing in Saudi jails for minor offenses, Malacanang said on Monday.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a briefing for reporters covering the President’s state visit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that the number of freed women may increase, as 141 more cases involving jailed Filipino women with similar offenses are still being processed.

The women were jailed for violating the kingdom’s strict religious customs, such as for unmarried men and women not to speak to each other in public.

On the second day of her state visit to the oil-rich kingdom, the President urged the Saudi Arabia Investment Authority to consider setting up an oil refinery in Mindanao.

She also broached her proposal for oil producers to consider equity investment in oil-importing countries like the Philippines.

Bunye, who is part of the President’s official delegation, has yet to divulge details of the President’s bilateral meeting with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on Sunday night, where she was to have discussed possible bilateral cooperation on oil supply and the plight of an estimated one million Filipino workers there.

Before the bilateral talks, King Abdullah conferred on Mrs. Arroyo the King Abdul Aziz Medallion, the Kingdom’s highest award for a head of state; in return, the President conferred the Order of Sikatuna Grand Collar on her host, the highest award given out by the Philippine government.

Before her meeting with the Saudi Arabia Investments Authority, the President had a breakfast meeting with Philippine ambassadors in the Gulf states, and a call of the Riyadh Governor Prince Salman.

She also met with the Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh and Prince Waleed bin al-Talal, and ended her second day with a meeting with the Filipino community in Riyadh.

On Tuesday, she will go to Jeddah for another meeting with Filipino workers and with the Chamber of Commerce there, then to Dammam for another meeting with the Filipino community.

On Wednesday, she will visit the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabian Oil. Co. (Saudi Aramco), to inspect its facilities.

The President will return to Manila on Thursday. M. Gonzalez
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