The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) disclosed Thursday that the names of 400 Filipinos are being processed for possible royal pardon by the Saudi king.

DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo, in a press conference yesterday, said there are 400 applications of Filipinos in Saudi jails that are being processed for the royal pardon.

“We continue to do our work, including having [jailed Filipinos’] sentence be commuted and eventually be repatriated,” Romulo said.

It will be recalled that the DFA disclosed that nine Filipinos have been given royal pardon by the Saudi king earlier this month.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah issued royal pardons on Dec. 11, 2009 to mark the return of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz from medical treatment overseas.

The pardon covers inmates charged with minor crimes and misdemeanors.

However, the pardon does not include those arrested for major crimes, or offenses liable for specific punishments under Shariah law (had crimes) or from lawsuits on private rights, such as theft, embezzlement, diyah and qisas.

Meanwhile, Romulo said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) Idan Tejano and Marjanna Sakilan will be repatriated this week after being granted full pardon by the Saudi government.

“Hopefully, there will be more, not only commutation but also repatriation,” Romulo said.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban Conejos, Jr. meanwhile, said that the Philippine government will continue to appeal for OFW Jakatia Pawa, who was sentenced to death in Kuwait.