RP post in Riyadh verifying if body found inside drum is Filipino

The Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia is confirming if the dead body found inside a drum in Riyadh is of a Filipino.

Vice Consul Roussel Reyes told GMANews.TV in a phone interview that the Embassy received reports Sunday of a dead body found dumped inside a drum in Riyadh’s major district of Al Bat’ha.

“We have confirmed that there is indeed a dead body found in Al Bat’ha, and we are now verifying the victim’s nationality," Reyes said in Filipino.

Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said in a separate interview that based on reports from the Filipino organization Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan, the drum was found in front of the Riyadh branch of Sky Freight Forwarders morning of Sunday.

According to Monterona, bystanders first thought the drum was a cargo container scheduled for delivery. The drum, however, was noticeably different from the ones usually used by the forwarding company, prompting the bystanders to open it.

Unconfirmed rumors are circulating in the area that the body was dismembered, Monterona said.

Reyes said they are now coordinating with the local police, but expressed doubts they would get information about the incident soon. “Usually, police authorities here do not reveal anything unless they have all the evidence they need," he said.

Reyes was unable to confirm if the body had indeed been dismembered.

Monterona said Filipinos in Riyadh usually converge in the commercial district of Al Bat’ha, where Filipino restaurants, money remittance centers and shops selling cheap devices can be found.

He said the district is dubbed “little Quiapo" by Filipino expatriates there.

“The incident is very unfortunate regardless of the victim’s nationality, but we’re hoping it was not of a Filipino national as it will surely cause alarm the large population of Filipinos here," said Monterona. - Jerrie Abella/KBK, GMANews.TV