Press Statement
16 July 2005

For reference: Ramon Bultron
Managing Director

Oust GMA protester in Jeddah, beaten by Consulate officials
“Thugs in barong” should be kicked out of office

The hooliganism of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been exported to Philippine overseas posts victimizing the so-called new economic heroes – the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

This afternoon, leaders and members of the Jeddah chapter of OUTRAGE (Overseas Filipinos, Families and Advocates: Unite and Rise to Oust Gloria) experienced first hand how the GMA government treats critics and opposition especially now that the call to oust her regime is intensifying.

At 3:00 pm, about 30 members of OUTRAGE-Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) gathered at the Philippine Consulate to prepare for a dialogue with government officials on the plight of stranded workers. As well, they were there to also to express their demand for GMA’s ouster.

However, while giving instructions to take out the placards bearing the oust GMA calls, POLO officers Yusof and Anwar Ampang, together with two newly-hired security guards, started throwing punches and blows to Leo Legaspi, former chairperson of Migrante International and leader of the group. The beatings, it was reported, damaged Legaspi’s ear.

This is a condemnable act of violence against Filipino migrants who are exercising their right to free expression. This is a condemnable act of violence against those who reject the anti-people and anti-migrants regime of GMA.

Philippine Labor officersYusof and Ampang and the two guards must be immediately fired. No public official, who is sworn to serve their constituents, must be allowed to treat Filipino migrants as what the two did to Legaspi. How can they even profess to serve the interest and welfare of OFWs in Jeddah if they themselves trample on the basic rights of OFWs?

Philippine Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla must also be made accountable to the acts of these “thugs in barong” who are under his responsibility. Truly these two only follow the footsteps of their Guinomla, their boss, who in 2003 called the Saudi police to haul striking stranded workers from the premises of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh just so they could celebrate their Christmas party.

Just like the Manila-based government, an overhaul of the honchos in Philippine overseas posts such as in KSA is needed. Guinomla and the rest of his hooligans must be kicked out of office and barred from holding any public posts in the future.

This is the fate that GMA should also suffer from.

This event only affirmed the conviction of overseas Filipinos to intensify efforts to effect meaningful changes in the political system of the country. To boot out Guinomla, Yusuf and Ampang is one step. To oust GMA is another.

Political repression has no place in Philippine society. The same with a fake and fascist regime.