An alliance of Filipino migrant rights group has urged the Philippine Embassy-Assistance to the Nationals Section (ANS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to arrange the immediate release of a locally-hired interpreter, who is being held liable for the death of a still-unidentified overseas Filipino worker (OFW) supposedly under his care, by placing him under its custody.

Bashir Ayob was earlier reported to be a welfare officer of the Philippine Embassy in Saudi. However, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) later pointed out that the 47-year-old native of Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat was actually a locally-hired interpreter.

“More than two months now since his detention, the Philippines post didn’t even bother to issue a certification that Ayob is not the person who abandoned the OFW who died at the Shemesy hospital, and then arrange to place him under the embassy’s custody,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

According to reports, Ayob was arrested on June 12 over the death of an unidentified woman reported to be among distressed OFWs at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh’s Bahay Kalinga.

The woman was brought to the Shemesy Hospital in Riyadh by another unidentified OFW on May 22 at 3:40 p.m; the OFW woman died on arrival.

Since Ayob is normally seen assisting sick OFWs to the hospital for check-up almost everyday, he became the main suspect. On June 12, Ayob was invited by the Saudi police for questioning about the said incident but was later cleared.

However, two days later Ayob was arrested by the Saudi police inside the deportation center while he was attending the repatriation formalities of Gerlie Balbin, an OFW.