MANILA, Philippines – After an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) sentenced to death by beheading in November 2009 for his involvement in smuggling shabu into Saudi Arabia was freed Sunday, at least 48 jailed Filipinos at the Malaz Central Jail also expressed hope that they too could be granted pardon by the Saudi King and eventually be released.

According to Migrante-Middle East, those jailed Filipinos at cell numbers 13, 14 and 17 all claimed that have already completed their jail terms and embassy officials could not properly arrange their repatriation.

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said these inmates have already formed their own organiation so that once they are released they will also provide assistance to the family of other jailed OFWs in Saudi Arabia

"Farouq Hadji Malik Bayabao, the leader of the 48 OFW inmates who formed their own group –the Zalam Brotherhood International, requested me to follow their case and the status of the pardon since they are not certain if their names are included in the list that was submitted to the Saudi pardon committee,” Monterona pointed out. (Roy C. Mabasa)