The family of two Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) is crying for help after they found out that the bread-winner of their family who works as a fisherman in Saudi Arabia was arrested while fishing at the border of KSA and Eritrea.
The two OFWs were identified as Ariel Quintana and Eduardo Gabriel. According to the wives of the 2 OFWs, while their husbands were fishing, a group of men approached them. They were wearing military uniforms.
Two boats with two Filipinos on board went to the ocean to catch a fish on September 1. According to the wife of one of the victims, the boat carrying his husband was chased by a group of men who later on arrested the group of fishermen.
“Ang sabi sa akin yung isang bangka daw po ang hinahabol yung nakabalik sa tabi (pampang), at yung bangka po ng asawa ko ay tumigil ang makina parang nasiraan po kaya sila ang binalikan. Hindi naman daw sila ang hinahabol kundi ang kasamahan nila,” says Annalyn, one of the victim’s wife.
The wives of the missing fishermen are already worried because they haven’t received any updates as of the moment as to the condition of their husbands.
“Nakakalungkot po dahil siya lang po ang inaasahan namin, paano po ‘pag nawala siya, paano po kami ang tagal tagal naming hindi nakita, five years. Nagbabalak pa siyang umuwi tapos ganito pa nangyayari,” says Lilibeth, wife of Eduardo Gabriel.
“Halos walang tulog, isip ng isip hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula tapos dito sa Pilipinas hindi ka pwede pumunta na lang kailangan sigurad,” says Annalyn.
The two are asking for help from the government to locate their husbands as soon as possible, especially because there was news saying that they need to pay P1.3 million for the release of their husbands.
“Ang huling balita ay kailangan daw ng pera nabalitaan ko sa pamilya nung Ariel na pinapatubos daw sila ng P1.3 milyon, e, saan naman kami kukuha ng ganon kalaking halaga?” says Lilibeth.
“Nag text ako sa amo niya, kung ano na update sa asawa ko sabi sa akin ‘the search is still ongoing for them. Madam, if there is any news about them I will contact you’,” yun po lagi ang sinasabi sa akin ng amo niya.”
Annalyn is also baffled because there are different updates as to the condition of her husband.
“Kaya nung ibinalita sa akin ng iba na nasa Eritrea ang asawa ko bigla akong nag-isip kung bakit iba ang sinasabi ng amo, at ang nababalitaan ko,” says Annalyn.
Meanwhile, Labor Attache Roel Martin from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah promised that they will respond to the report as soon as possible.
“Meron tayong inisyal report tungkol sa dalawang OFW, magko-conduct kami ng initial verification and investigation para malaman natin kung ano ang talagang totoong nangyari at syempre, kagaya ng inaasahan tutulong po ang POLO para matulungan ang ating dalawang OFW para maibigay para sa kanilang ikapapanatag lalo na sa kanilang mga pamilya,” says Labor Attache Martin.
Source GMA News
