After more than a week of detention, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) still detained in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for illegal “mixed gathering” are expected to be freed anytime soon after the police dropped plans to file a case against them.

However, those with expired Iqama or working permit may face deportation according to Riyadh-based John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of the Migrante-Middle East.

Monterona said he was told by Eric Jocson, chairperson of the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), one of the 18 OFWs arrested last August 14 but was later released by virtue of the Kefala (sponsorship) system, that the “prostitution” case supposed to be filed by the Saudi police against them has not been filed and is now dropped by the Saudi police.

“The dropping of the case has also been confirmed to me by Vice Consul Roussel Reyes, saying that their case officers were able to convince the police that there is no ‘prostitution’ as those apprehended are members of legitimate OFW organization providing assistance to distress and runaway OFWs,” Monterona said in a statement.

Monterona said Reyes told him that the timely intervention of case officers a certain Mr. Frias, Akrahman, and Harris resulted positively as they managed to convince the Saudi police that nothing illegal happened or there is no commission of ‘prostitution’ as alleged by the apprehending cultural police, locally called Muttawa.

The OFWs including the officers of KGS, an affiliate of Migrante-ME were arrested last August 14 for illegal "mixed gathering" as KSA laws forbid the gathering of males and females in public and private places except if they are married or they are with their families. They were arrested at the KGS safe house in Riyadh where distressed and run away OFWs are temporarily seeking refuge.

“Technically, there is no case filed yet against our KGS members; then came the information that Saudi police dropped the case against them. With this development, we are hoping that KGS Secretary-General Mike Garlan and member Rustico Marcos will be released anytime from today (August 25) who have been in jail for 11 days now,” he added.

However, Reyes also told Monterona that while those with Iqama will be released immediately after the police received the notice from the Prosecutor, those who have expired Iqama or runaways will be deported.

Thus, two of the five detained OFW women namely Sarah Gumansing and Elvira De Guzman have already been released in the custody of their respective employers while runaway OFWs Clemia Corpuz, Rosa Salazar, and Amauri Meriz are expected to be deported, according to Monterona.