Sen. Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senators strongly condemned on Wednesday the “sex-for-fly” scheme of Philippine embassy officials and employees in the Middle East, one calling it as “one of worst cases of exploitation that have befallen our OFW (overseas Filipino workers) women.”
“This should not be tolerated, should be investigated, should be meted the full force of the law, if true,” Senator Loren Legarda, head of the Senate committee on foreign relations, said in a statement.
“It’s already hard for Filipinos working abroad to be apart from their families. It is harder when they get abused or duped by their agencies or employers,” she said.
“It is unforgivable when the people, their fellow countrymen at that, who they expect to help them and provide them protection, are the ones who would subject them to further abuse and suffering,” Legarda said.
Despite this, Legarda cautioned against generalizing all Philippine diplomats, pointing out that most of the officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the country and abroad “are competent and should not be tainted by a few bad eggs.”
Senator Pia Cayetano, in a separate statement, urged the government to leave “no stone unturned” in its investigation of the “sex-for-repatriation” scheme and ensure that the alleged perpetrators would be held accountable.
“If in fact the allegation of ‘sex for repatriation’ is true, then this is one of the worst cases of exploitation that have befallen our OFW women,” said Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate committee on youth, women and family relations.
“When those who are tasked to protect our women are the very ones who perpetuate such a ghastly and disturbing act, then these predators should be charged, jailed and banned from holding public office,” she said.
Cayetano said it was incumbent upon concerned government agencies, primarily the DFA and the Deparment of Labor and Employment, to take immediate and decisive action while observing due process of law.
“They should unmask the identities of these alleged perpetrators within their ranks, as well as their accomplices. They should also urge all victims to come forward and provide them assistance so that they would be able to file charges in court,” she said.
Cayetano said the abuses would be mitigated if government could find ways to hasten the repatriation of OFWs staying in government shelters abroad.
For Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, the Philippine diplomats and personnel allegedly involved in soliciting sex favors are “worse than rapists because the women are made to suffer in silence.”
“The acts should not only be strongly condemened, the perpetrators should be thrown in jail and the keys thrown away forever,” Sotto said in a text message.
“It’s not only embarrassing. It’s also demeaning for our country,” he added.