2 OWWA officers recalled to face probe

by Dennis Carcamo of Philstar

MANILA, Philippines - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has confirmed that two of its officials in Saudi Arabia were recalled for complaints filed against them by overseas Filipino workers, according to migrant workers' rights group said. Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said he received a reply via electronic mail from OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon confirming that labor and welfare officers Allen Arroyo and Anuar Ampang, both based in Saudi Arabia, were ‘instructed to come home immediately to face’ the agency’s Administrative Complaints Committee (ACC). On July 18, the group asked the labor department and OWWA to probe Arroyo based on the complaint affidavit of Joel Lacanilao alleging that Arroyo ordered him to pay an amount of 7,000 Saudi rials to facilitate his immediate repatriation that never actually happened. Four days after, the group also asked the labor officials to investigate Ampang based on a complaint affidavit of Ronald Detanoy alleging that the welfare officer badmouthed him when he went to the OWWA office in Riyadh. "We shall instruct him (referring to welfare officer Ampang) to come home immediately to face our Administrative Complaints Committee," Dimzom said. Dimzon also confirmed that Arroyo "too has been recalled from his tour of duty." "We are expecting that these erring officials will be sanctioned and put under disciplinary action. We will continue our campaign against erring and inept officials abroad," Monterona said.