2 ‘mysterious’ deaths of OFWs reported monthly

MANILA, Philippines—At least two “mysterious” deaths of Filipino workers abroad are being reported every month, Filipino migrants rights group Migrante said Saturday.

Most cases involved female domestic helpers in the Middle East, said Migrante-Middle East regional director John Leonard Monterona.

He said Migrante chapters in the Middle East have been “constantly receiving reports of (overseas Filipino workers) who died under questionable and vague circumstances on an average of two cases every month.”

“The figure is based on the combined reports from our Migrante chapters in the Middle East citing local news reports and from the kin of the OFWs who have sought our assistance,” Monterona said.

That did not include those reported to various Philippine diplomatic posts, he said.

“We are quite certain there were other cases of ‘mysterious’ deaths reported to the (Philippine) embassies and consulates and its satellite offices,” Monterona said.

Monterona cited some of the cases that he said have remained unsolved:

• Rowena Peremne Arceo, 33, from Cordillera province, died a mysterious death on October 22, 2008 in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

• Joy Cabansi Sarto, 28, from Echague, Isabela province, was murdered by her Arab employer on September 22, 2009.

• Laura (not her real name), 33, from Ilagan, Isabela, was allegedly raped on Dammam, Saudi Arabia on October 1, 2009.

• Eugenia Baja, 24, was reported to have committed suicide, but an autopsy made later showed that Baja bore stab wounds and bruises.

• Clair (not her real name), in her mid-20, from Lagawe, Ifugao, was gang-raped by Arabs at her employer’s house sometime in February 2007.

• Analyn De Pena, 33, from Old Sta. Mesa, Manila allegedly committed suicide sometime in November 2009, but the family believed there was foul play in her death.

• Marilou Macam Ating, 37, from Lingayen, Pangasinan, reportedly fell to her death from the fourth floor of her employer’s residence. But her family believed there was foul play in her November 24, 2008 death.

• Romilyn Eroy-Ibanez, 22, Kidapawan, Cotabato, was found soaked in her own blood on September 1, 2010 and was rushed to the hospital in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Hours later, she was declared dead due to several stab wounds and acid ingestion. Update: no case has been filed yet due to no police reports obtained by the Philippine embassy.

In the United Arab Emirates, Migrante-Middle East has recorded seven cases of mysterious death. These include the following:

• Roderick Miranda, who reportedly hanged himself on February 4

• Norayda Ayuman, who reportedly jumped from the 7th floor of a building on February 6

• Jeffrey Alberto So, who reportedly jumped from the 3rd floor of a building on June 13

• Evelyn Lilo, who allegedly jumped from a building on August 10

Monterona said that in the past months, Migrante also received reports of Filipino deaths in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

“The most recent are the cases of Janice Joy Pampangan, an OFW from Jordan, and of Juvy Montesoso, an OFW from Kuwait —both remains have just recently repatriated. Their respective kin suspected there was foul play and have asked for reinvestigation,” Monterona said.

He said despite “these numerous unsolved OFWs death cases the (Philippine government) and concerned agencies seem not bothered and until now have done nothing to provide protection to our OFW-domestic workers.”

He said that despite President Benigno Aquino’s “tall order to provide assistance and protection to OFWs abroad during his inaugural speech last year, concerned government agencies such as DFA and its diplomatic posts, DoLE, OWWA and POEA are still in a lull and performed poorly in terms of providing assistance and protection to our OFWs.”

“Mr. President, we call on you please to re-issue your tall order to all concerned government agencies to seriously provide assistance and protection to our OFWs. If they won’t heed on your order then fire them or face the anger of the disgruntled OFWs and their families,” Monterona said.