By Ellson A. Quismoio
Manila Bulletin
Manila Bulletin
Manila, Philippines — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario yesterday said that victims who have come into contact with them have confirmed “certain allegations” in the reported sexual abuse of distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) abroad by Philippine government officials.
Del Rosario, speaking in a press briefing, also revealed that one Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) official from the region has been recalled for “alleged molestation” of an OFW.
“As of today he has been recalled and will be investigated when he arrives,” he said without naming the Labor official, adding that he would have to furnish President Benigno S. Aquino III an expanded report.
Undersecretary Danilo Cruz confirmed yesterday that Assistant Labor Attaché Antonio Villafuerte for Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will soon arrive in the country to face complaints against him for pimping OFWs.
“The recall order has been signed so Villafuerte is coming home soon,” Cruz said.
The press briefing was the DFA secretary‘s first following a series of consultations with some 13 heads of posts from the Middle East and North Africa last Saturday and Sunday. The 13 heads were composed of 12 ambassadors and one consul general.
Among the attending Filipino officials were from Syria, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia – countries where a few Philippine embassy and labor officials are allegedly soliciting sexual or illicit favors from OFWs in exchange for plane tickets home, ergo “sex-for-fly.”
Asked if the recalled DOLE official that is accused of molestation dangled a plane ticket back to the country to his victim, he answered: “Something like that.”
The DFA had called for the envoys in order to gather more information on the alleged inappropriate and criminal behavior of those accused, thus allowing authorities to exercise punitive measures as well as to identify preventive and corrective measures.
“Certain allegations were confirmed and this was accomplished by the three witnesses from Riyadh coming forward and providing us their testimony,” Del Rosario said, adding that they were able to talk at length with the witnesses. “They were very cooperative”.
“The allegations of at least one lady of the three were sexual harassment, molestation, and abuse of authority.”
Conspicuously absent in the list of confirmed allegations is the forced prostitution of OFWs, who are purportedly being “pimped” by Filipino authorities to rich patrons.
“However, until such time as other people are able to come forward, all other allegations will remain as allegations to be further investigated. I think that is how a democracy works,” the official said.
“For example, in the case of sex rings (prostitution), as I said unless there are people who come forward the allegations will remain as allegations. In at least one location where this sex ring is being alleged, the head of post has not heard of it. When we mentioned it, to him it was a new allegation.”
Del Rosario said that the outright selling of plane tickets to the distraught migrant workers were also among the “confirmed allegations”.
According to him, plane fare for OFWs who want to go home shouldn’t be that big of a problem, noting that the government would in the end cover for it if nobody else does. Normally, he said that the worker’s employer would be the first one asked to shoulder the ticket cost.
“Failing to get the employer to respond, there is the agency. On the other hand, there are NGOs that are willing to offer fare to distressed OFWs but at the end of the day the government is committed to picking up the fare,” the DFA secretary told reporters.
“We don’t understand why there is exploitation happening in terms of getting a ticket which in one way or another is guaranteed.”
Del Rosario once again called on other OFW victims of sexual exploitation or witnesses thereof to come out in the open, even assuring the individuals that there hopes of continued or future overseas employment would not be affected.
“We have told them we are going to protect their identities at all costs if that is their wish…their right to work abroad will not be impeded by their cooperation. We are also committed that we will investigate all of those who have been involved in these allegations.”
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay also assured victims of “sex-for-fly” scheme of assistance and protection from the government.
Binay said that as in other controversies, complainants and whistleblowers have been given protection by the Aquino administration.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Neri Colmenares sought an independent probe panel to include representatives from migrant workers and legislators to investigate the so-called sex-for-flight controversy.
Colmenares aired this proposal as he aired the belief that the expose on the sex-for-flight controversy could be “just the tip of the iceberg,” saying that it should be seen in the contest of the crackdown being conducted on undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia. (With reports from JC Bello Ruiz and Ben R. Rosario)
No comments:
Post a Comment