By Charlie V. Manalo and Gerry Baldo
The Daily Tribune
The Daily Tribune
A group of overseas Filipinos yesterday blamed the Aquino government for the proliferation of the “sex-for-fly” cases in the Middle East, saying that the cause of the abuse was his government’s failure to immediately repatriate the distressed overseas workers.
According to Garry Martinez, chairman of Migrante International, the issue of the sex-for-fly cases is borne out of the Aquino government’s failure to address the immediate repatriation of distressed OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and that the abuse of OFWs by erring embassy and consulate officials had intensified during the crackdowns on undocumented OFWs in the Middle East.
Martinez said that the Aquino administration should look at the bigger picture behind the issue of the “sex-for-fly” cases. “The bottom line here is that the abusive embassy and consulate officials are taking advantage of the desperation of OFWs. The further exploitation of the exploited. This is not an isolated matter that has nothing to do with the overall condition of stranded OFWs seeking immediate repatriation from the Philippine government in light of the crackdowns. ” He said that they have received complaints of sexual abuse and exploitation from victims of crackdowns on undocumented OFWs in Saudi, Kuwait and Jordan.
It is in these countries that stranded OFWs have launched “camp out protests” calling on the Aquino government for “free, immediate and mass repatriation” in recent months.
Martinez said that recently, more stranded OFWs from Bahrain, Syria, Libya and Malaysia have also sought Migrante’s help in seeking urgent repatriation by the Aquino government in the past few weeks.
“The Aquino administration and concerned government agencies should put the issue in this context and not simply sensationalize or use the issue to divert government accountability in the slow repatriation of stranded OFWs in light of the crackdowns,” Martinez said.
Martinez said that the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) move to investigate is long overdue.
He said that only some 200 stranded OFWs have been repatriated by the government since June. Only 12 days remain before the resumption of the Saudi crackdowns on July 3 and at least 4,500 undocumented OFWs are still awaiting repatriation in the Riyadh and Jeddah tent cities. Some 12,000 OFWs are undocumented in Saudi alone.
He said that only some 200 stranded OFWs have been repatriated by the government since June. Only 12 days remain before the resumption of the Saudi crackdowns on July 3 and at least 4,500 undocumented OFWs are still awaiting repatriation in the Riyadh and Jeddah tent cities. Some 12,000 OFWs are undocumented in Saudi alone.
“Failure to repatriate our OFWs before the deadline will be a bigger nightmare and the Aquino government knows this. If they cannot repatriate the stranded OFWs in time it will definitely result in more and graver human rights abuses against our stranded OFWs.”
Martinez called for an independent and comprehensive investigation on abuses against stranded OFWs, including the issue of sexual exploitation, maltreatment in shelters, “backdoor” malpractices and general government neglect of the rights and welfare of stranded OFWs in the Middle East.
Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, currently chairman of the House committee on overseas affairs, sought the help of Malacañang in investigating the issue.
Bello was particularly apprehensive about the probe that is being conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment which he said could lead to a whitewash.
Bello maintained that the issues of sexual abuse are not new and that the DoLE had turned a blind eye on the issues despite the complaints of the OFWs.
Malacañang meanwhile expressed optimism in creating an investigative body to dig deeper into the diabolical “sex-for-fly” scandal engaged in by pimps cum-diplomats deployed in the Arab countries plaguing the DFA.
Presidential deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said the idea of a presidential investigating committee as brought up by Bello would be suggested to President Aquino in order to ensure unbiased investigation involving the diplomats and Labor officials abroad.
Presidential deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said the idea of a presidential investigating committee as brought up by Bello would be suggested to President Aquino in order to ensure unbiased investigation involving the diplomats and Labor officials abroad.
“That’s not been discussed yet with the President. We’ll raise that to him. A Presidential Task Force of sorts, I suppose, but at this point, both the Department of Labor and the Department of Foreign Affairs are conducting separate investigations,” Valte said.
Normally, a diplomat is given a foreign assignment because of his having strong political connections if not a relative of politicians that neither the DFA nor the Labor Department can initiate the filing of criminal or even administrative charges.
Valte said that the DFA and the Labor Department have agreed to share whatever information they find in the course of their investigations.
“At the moment, (the scandal) is being addressed. I spoke to the DFA. Our counterpart in the DFA this morning. And I am told that they are already conducting preliminaries on the investigation,” Valte said.
In 2011, already under the Aquino administration, complaints were expressed by some of the OFWs who were coming from the Middle East countries on the abuses of the abusive Filipino diplomats who were assigned in the Philippine embassies for the sole purpose of providing assistance to the dollar earners.
But the Labor Department had instead watered down the issues that the OFWs had tried to raise.
Valte said that everything would be substantiated in the investigation and that the Aquino administration, as well as all the departments involved, will be open to accept whatever complaints from the OFWs.
“But, sadly, we have these instances but no one has filed their complaint or that nobody steps forward to actually give an account.
“Although, however, I understand that this particular alleged victim surfaced,” Valte said.
Valte said the Aquino administration is certain that the DFA officials cannot stop the OFWs from coming out to expose their odious experience in the hands of the embassy officials.
We ensure that this kind of investigation to be fair. You should not be afraid. We understand that our OFWs are hesitant but this investigation, especially concerning our OFWs, will get the necessary attention from our government,” Valte said.
Valte said Aquino would always ask everytime he would appoint an ambassador to a foreign post to always give priority to the concerns of the OFWs.
“The President whenever an ambassador or envoy is to be assigned in a certain Philippine embassy or consulate, before they leave the country to start their tour of duty, the word of the President is to give focus to the welfare of OFWs.
“The President reminds them that their assignment is not a party. It is not only an invitation to attend a party. But rather they must focus to the welfare of our fellow Filipinos abroad where they would be assigned,” Valte said. With Paul Atienza
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