OFW killed in Kuwait ‘black and blue’ when brought to hospital — Bello

MANILA, Philippines — The Filipina domestic worker who was killed allegedly by her Kuwaiti employer’s wife was “black and blue” and already dead when brought to a hospital, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III disclosed Thursday.

“Meron akong partial report from out labor attaché na ‘yung ating kababayan na si Jeanalyn [Villavende] ay talagang bugbog sarado. Black and blue daw. ‘Yun ang report ng mga nurses na nag-attend sa kanya,” Bello said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

(According to the partial report of our labor attaché, Jeanalyn Villavende was really beaten. She was black and blue. That was the report of the nurses who attended to her).

The labor chief, in a later statement, said that the preliminary report from Philippines’ labor attaché in Kuwait also showed that Villavende was already dead when she was brought to the hospital.

Her female employer is currently detained in Kuwait, he added.

According to Bello, Villavende’s family was last able to talk with her in October 2019.

The family called Villavende again on December 13 but it was her female employer who answered the call and told the family that the Filipina worker was busy.

Bello said that as early as September 2019, Villavende has already complained to her local recruitment agency about being maltreated and underpaid.

“We will also ask Villavende’s recruitment agency to explain their inaction,” he said, adding that the Filipina worker had repeatedly requested the agency for repatriation.

“But they did not do anything,” Bello said, referring to Villavende’s recruitment agency.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac has already condoled with Villavende’s family in South Cotabato and informed them that death and burial benefits will be extended to the Filipina worker while her family will receive livelihood assistance and educational scholarship for her youngest sibling.

Bello had earlier said that the Philippine government will impose a partial ban on the deployment of household Filipino workers to Kuwait.

This as labor officials discuss whether or not they would reinstate a total deployment ban on Kuwait.

It was in February 2018 when the Philippines imposed a total deployment ban on Kuwait after authorities found inside a freezer the body of domestic help Joanna Demafelis, who was killed by her employers.

The ban was lifted three months later after Manila and Kuwait signed an agreement on the protection of overseas Filipino workers.

READ: Employer of slain OFW Joanna Demafelis found guilty in Syria

“This should serve as a clear message to Kuwaiti authorities. The partial ban may ripen into total deployment ban if justice for Jeanelyn Villavende is not met,” Bello went on.

Edited by JE