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MANILA, Philippines?A social welfare officer based in Malaysia since 2008 was found dead in his apartment there, the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said on Saturday.
In a report to the home office, the embassy identified the officer as Finardo G. Cabilao.
It said the embassy learned of Cabilao?s death on Friday after Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Victoriano Lecaros dispatched the embassy?s administrative officer to Cabilao?s residence to check on his condition. Cabilao had failed to report for work for two straight days.
Embassy officials immediately reported the death to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the local police authorities, and the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.
Malaysian authorities were conducting their own investigation into Cabilao?s death.
The DFA has informed the deceased officer?s mother unit, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Manila, which in turn notified Cabilao?s family.
Lecaros said that the embassy, DFA, DSWD and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration will extend assistance to the family.
The Blas Ople Policy Center, a non-governmental organization helping distressed OFWs, paid homage to Cabilao?s ?noble work and selfless service.?
Former labor undersecretary Susam Ople, the center?s chair, said: ?We have lost a good man in the fight against human trafficking. We urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide additional resources to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for security purposes while Finard's murder remains unresolved.?
Ople said the last time she saw Cabilao was on Wednesday afternoon at the embassy when they were discussing a case against a major trafficker of Filipino women with Lecaros and a team from the Department of Justice.
Cabilao had been active in helping victims of trafficking and illegal recruitment in Malaysia, including those trapped in brothels in Sarawak and in Sabah.
Ople said that Cabilao had earlier proposed that repatriated survivors of human trafficking be given compulsory medical and psychological debriefing upon their return to the Philippines.
?We hope that Finard's proposal can be institutionalized as an integral part of the government's reintegration program,? she said.
