Employer of slain OFW Joanna Demafelis found guilty in Syria

MANILA, Philippines — The Syrian District Criminal Court has found the employer of slain overseas Filipina worker (OFW) Joanna Demafelis guilty of murder, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Monday. 

The DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs identified Demafelis’ employer as Syrian national Mouna Ali Hassoun.

The foreign affairs department added that Hassoun’s co-accused, her Lebanese husband Nader Essam Assaf, is also charged with murder in Lebanon.

The remains of the 29-year-old Demafelis were found inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait last February 2018, prompting a deployment ban of OFWs in the Middle East country.  

“DFA will continue to provide legal assistance to the family until justice is served,” the foreign affairs department said in a tweet. 

Quoting the tweet, foreign affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said: “Yup, they’re gonna get it.” /je

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