By Johanna M Sampan/Manila Times
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said the committee looking into reports of Filipina migrant workers being sexually exploited by Philippine diplomatic officials in the Middle East is expanding its inquiry to include Saudi Arabia.
The probe originally covered only Kuwait, Jordan and Syria, but Undersecretary for Labour Relations and Social Dialogue Rebecca Chato said she has received reports of a similar incident in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital.
“We will be expanding (the investigation) but we will do it one at a time so as not to crowd out the investigation,” Chato said.
Labour Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz created the probe panel composed of Leah Fortuna of the Office of the Labour Secretary as chairperson and Ophelia Almenario of the OWWA, and Rosemarie Duquez of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) as members.
Implicated in the sexual exploitation of the workers are former Philippine Labour Attache to Jordan Mario Antonio, Kuwait-based welfare officer Blas Marquez and ‘Kim’ from Syria. Chato said Undersecretary for Employment and Manpower Development Danilo Cruz will advise all 15 labour attaches in the Middle East to keep a sharp eye for reports of Filipino workers being sexually exploited.
Baldoz, however, said the inquiry cannot proceed unless the victims reveal themselves.
“It is our people who are being accused in the media, but isn’t it ironic that it is us who are looking out for complainants?” she said. “Until now, there has not been a single person who has filed a formal complaint against the DOLE personnel named in the allegations that continues to play out in the media.” Chato assured the victims, “We will protect you and your identity. We will safeguard you against the people you will name.”
Baldoz appealed to the other agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, the office of Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who are conducting their own investigations to co-ordinate with the DOLE.
Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told reporters he will be meeting this weekend with the 11 ambassadors from Philippine missions in the Middle East who were asked to come home and help in the DFA’s own probe. Del Rosario said the ambassadors will return to their posts by tomorrow because he doesn’t want their missions compromised by their absence.
On Wednesday, del Rosario recalled Charge d’Affaires Nestor Padalhan of Syria, Ambassador Olivia Palala of Jordan and Charge d’Affaires Raul Dado of Kuwait, as well as the three officials implicated in the reports.
The envoys from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya and Lebanon were also asked to come home.
The DFA will also determine if the envoys were amiss in investigating complaints if sexual abuse was filed by Filipino workers.
Last Tuesday, Bello named ‘Kim,’ Mario Antonio and Blas Marquez from the Philippine missions in Syria, Jordan and Kuwait as having demanded sexual favours from distressed Filipino workers.