Avoid procrastination; Assist OFWs jailed in Dubai, China now! –Ilagan

“The Arroyo administration should avoid dilly-dallying in attending to the needs of the OFWs especially those who are in jails and death rows in the Middle East and China,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luzviminda Ilagan, urging the government to double its efforts in providing assistance to troubled OFWs.

Rep. Ilagan cited the report of Migrante-Middle East about Wilma (not her real name), an OFW who was accused of adultery after she had been sexually abused by the son of her Arab employer.

The Gabriela solon said that not only has Wilma been denied due process of law and deprived of the benefit of doubt on the adultery case, she has previously been a victim of illegal recruitment.

According to Migrante, Wilma was hired as a hotel chambermaid by the Marvic Overseas Placement Agency but when she arrived in Dubai she became a domestic helper. Report says that after the rape incident, Wilma was abandoned by her recruitment agency.

“Wilma is not the only distressed OFW imprisoned in the Middle East. Recently, the Taiwan Appellate court reduced to life sentence an earlier death penalty of Cecilia Alcaraz. Pres. Arroyo who has been peddling migrant work to the Middle East under her labor export policy should immediately respond to Wilma’s need for legal assistance in Dubai before it’s too late,” Ilagan stressed.

Rep. Ilagan cited a report of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding nearly 40 OFWs in China, mostly women, who are in death row, convicted of drug-related cases but who have been given two years to appeal.

“The DFA count is at best, a conservative estimate. The Palace should pull all stops to save the lives of our jailed compatriots and bring them home,” Ilagan said. #