Pinoy worker raped, beaten up in Saudi desert

A Filipino worker is still in critical condition in a hospital after he was raped, beaten up and left for dead in the desert.

“Mario”, not his real name, is in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Riyadh. He was found naked, beaten up and fighting for his life on the early morning of May 16.

“Ako po unang naka-identify. Sa Facebook kasi may nag post kung sino ang nakakakilala,” said his friend “Jojo”. “Ako yung nagsabi na siya yung kabayan ko na taga-Bukidnon”.

Mario works as a service crew of an ice cream chain inside a mall. He just recently returned from the Philippines to Saudi Arabia for another contract.

“Huli ko siyang nakita May 12. Doon po kami nagkita sa Batha niyan,” said another friend, “Maricel”.

Mario sustained serious head injuries. He also suffered multiple bone fractures and is under observation for possible internal hemorrhage.

Although he was still having difficulties in speaking and moving, Mario was able to scribble down words that would help identify his attackers.

“Sinabi ko sa kanya na isa-isahin nya yung letter para maintindihan namin. Ito po ang pinaka-una nyang isinulat. ‘Saudi.’ Kahit ganyan po sya, nag cross-cross po yan, pero isa-isa po nyang letter isinulat yan. Kaya naintindihan po namin yan na ‘Saudi’. Tapos ito po, naintindihan po talaga namin, ‘officer’, ‘police’. Yan daw po ang gumawa sa kanya,” his friend Maricel said.

Maricel said Mario wrote down that he was arrested in Batha.

“And then pagkakuha sa kanya dinala po siya sa Malaz. Dun po tinanong namin kung ilan ang gumawa sa kanya. Ang sabi nya apat po,” she said.

Mario also was able to give a brief detail in writing of what the suspects did to him.

“Binugbog daw po siya at ni rape daw po sya,” she said.

The Philippine embassy already visited Mario and has been in contact with his employer.