RP to fly home illegal workers

RP to fly home illegal workers

MANILA (Reuter): Philippine Foreign Secretary Roberto Romulo ordered diplomats in Saudi Arabia to charter an aircraft to repatriate illegal Filipino workers before they are jailed in a crackdown on visa violations.

"It will be more difficult to get Filipino illegals out of jail once Saudi authorities start rounding them up," Romulo said.

The kingdom has given illegal foreign workers, most of them Asians, until Dec. 18 to leave or face fines.

The Philippine foreign office said 1,800 Filipinos have applied to the Saudi government for an amnesty. Romulo said nearly 600 of them have asked the consulate in Jeddah to help them return home. Eighty-four left the kingdom on Monday.