DFA: Abu Dhabi police take custody of suspect in OFW slay
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said it is coordinating with local authorities regarding an ongoing criminal investigation on the death of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Abu Dhabi, whose body was found around 10 months after she went missing.
The DFA confirmed that the remains of Mary Anne Daynolo was recently located after she was reported missing in March last year.
“The UAE police authorities conducted a full-blown investigation which led to the arrest of the murder suspect who eventually confessed to the crime,” the department said in a statement.
The suspect, who is Daynolo’s colleague at the hotel they were working in, is currently in police custody, according to the DFA.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, is in close coordination with the family and the Abu Dhabi authorities on the ongoing criminal investigation surrounding the death of Ms. Daynolo,” it added.
READ: Duterte vows justice for OFW found dead in Abu Dhabi
In a tweet also on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the DFA will “leave no stone unturned for justice” in the death of the OFW.
The DFA said Daynolo’s remains arrived in Manila last January 30.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs extends its deep condolences to the family and assures them of the Philippine government’s continuing guidance, support, and assistance in their time of grief and in the anticipated judicial process,” it said.
In a press briefing Monday, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said local police found Daynolo’s “fast decomposing body” in one of the areas of the hotel late last month.
Bello said the suspect, a Ugandan national, admitted to the crime and led authorities to the place where Daynolo was buried.
He added that local police had hinted that the “main suspect” was with two unidentified “accomplices when the crime transpired.”
According to the labor chief, Daynolo “bore a fatal knife wound in the neck.”
The National Bureau Investigation (NBI) is currently conducting an autopsy of Daynolo’s body, according to Bello, who also said that her parents requested that authorities ensure the cadaver is their daughter’s and that more details of her death are uncovered.
“While the alleged killer is already behind bars, two other suspects remain at large. They should also be caught and brought to justice. Justice should be served for what they did to our beloved OFW,” Bello said.
“I hope the results of the autopsy could help in determining what actually happened to Daynolo and those responsible for her death. From there, we can proceed with seeking justice for her and her family,” he added.
