OFW says Kuwaiti employers beat her up

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/18/2009 1:19 AM

A bruised and battered 40-year-old household service worker sought the help of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.

Fatima, (not her real name) told embassy officials that she was beaten by the Kuwaiti couple she worked for.

“Ang ginawang pambubugbog nangyari kalagitnaan ng Ramadan. Para bang hindi na nirespeto iyong relihiyon sa kapwa niya Muslim,” said Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya.

The native of Maguidanao tearfully recalled the physical abuses she received from her employers.

Fatima had swollen ears, her face bore scratch marks and her body showed signs of bruises.

Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau correspondent, also reported that Fatima was allegedly not paid by her Kuwaiti employers for eight months.

“Noong tatlong buwan pa, hiningi ko sweldo ko. Ang ibinigay niya sa akin bugbog,” Fatima said.

On August 29, Fatima’s employers allegedly left her in a store and abandoned her there. She said she then took a taxi to the Philippine Embassy.

Embassy staff immediately took her to a hospital to have her examined and treated.

The embassy also hired a lawyer to file a case against Fatima’s employers.

“Kaya karumal-dumal itong kasong ito. Kaya nga sabi ko sa babae huwag siyang magkakamaling iurong ang kaso maski na mag-offer ng magkano iyong kanyang amo. Kasi dapat turuan ng leksyon ang mga taong ito,” Endaya said. With Balitang Middle East

Comments

OFW Miseries

So, what's the Philippine goverment does to mitigate this problem?
Are our officials just sitting on their offices waiting for the blood money remitted by OFW and key in to their ledger? Then make news about the growth in remittances and praising the money sent home by the battered OFWs?

We are becoming a nation of real slaves. Slaves in the sense that OFW bear all the hazards in their work, sans goverment protection- like the slaves of 17th century.

Why don't we call our OFW as FS (Filipino Slaves) instead. That is more applicable term. Mabuhay ang Filipino Slaves!

Submitted by Ahmal on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 16:59.

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Ahmal

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