3 OFWs face labor exec in ‘sex-for-flight’ scandal

VEILED ACCUSERS Three OFWs testify before the Senate investigating allegations of sexual harassment against labor and foreign affairs officials in the Middle East on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines –Three overseas Filipino workers came  face-to-face at a Senate hearing on Thursday with a labor official in Riyadh, whom they accused of alleged sexual harassment.

Angel, Analiza and Michelle were all wearing veils when they faced a joint hearing of the Senate blue ribbon and labor committees Thursday.

They all broke into tears as they gave their testimonies.

But Michelle later removed her  veil and tearfully confronted Riyadh-based assistant labor attaché Antonio “Tony” Villafuerte, who was also  present at the hearing.

“Ngayon Mr. Villafuerte, naaalala mo po ba ako?  Naaalala mo pa ba yung ginawa nyo sa akin…huwag po kayong magsinungaling,” she said.

Asked by Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada if he recognized Michelle, Villafuete said yes but strongly denied  that he had tried to rape her.

“Hindi po totoo po yun,” Villafuerte said when asked if he had tried to rape Michelle.

Before this, Angel also broke down when she recounted  the offensive  words used by the embassy official when she sought refuge  from  the official after she was raped by her Arab employer.

Angel said Villafuerte had asked  her the following questions: “Ni-rape ka ba talaga? Saan ka tinira? Sa harap or sa likod? Masarap ba makipagtalik ang employer mo? Malaki po ba ang ari ng employer mo?”

Angel said she was hiding her face because she could not face  the world and tell that she was a victim of rape.

“May pamilya din po ako,” she said in between sobs.

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