Group sounds alarm over increase in suicides in UAE
MANILA, Philippines — A migrant workers' advocacy group has urged the government to look into the apparent rise in suicides by Filipino workers in the United Arab Emirates.
In a press statement released on Thursday, Migrante International’s chapter in the UAE said seven Filipinos had committed suicide during the first eight months of 2008.
"It's not normal that seven Filipinos should commit suicide in eight months. We want (the Philippine authorities in the UAE) to find out why they are committing suicide," Nhel Morona, secretary-general of Migrante-UAE, said in the statement.
“(We) came to know about these cases of ‘suicide’ from family members who have sought assistance from us. We are quite surprised that despite the sudden dramatic increase of OFW deaths, our government officials in the Emirates have done nothing but simply declared these as ‘suicide’ without thorough investigation," said Morona.
He added that Migrante is still confirming the two reported “suicide" cases of a Filipino man and woman both in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE.
Morona said the earliest recorded case was of a man who reportedly hanged himself on February 4. On Feb.6, a woman named Norayda Ayuman was reported to have jumped to her death from the 7th floor of a building.
On June 13, Jeffrey Alberto So was reported to have jumped to his death from the 3rd floor of a building.
The body Mitos Vergara, who was reported to have jumped from a building.on June 24, had been repatriated, and so with Remedios Waayan from Benguet province, who repatriated on July 24.
Myrna Baylosis, who was said to have jumped from the 4th floor of the building.on July 8, is still in the custody of Abu Dhabi Police, Morona said.
The latest alleged suicide was identified as Evelyn Lilo, who allegedly jumped from a building on August 10.
Philippine authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai said they could only confirm three suicide cases, Gulf News said in a report on Friday. All confirmed cases were in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Noel Servigon, Philippine consul-general in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News that three cases were still under investigation by the police.
"We don't know whether they were accidents, suicides or foul play," he was quoted by the Gulf News report as saying.
Servigon said the embassy has asked the police to re-investigate one case, that of Vergara who died in July, after the embassy had received a request from Vergara's family.
He also said the one of the cases listed in the press statement had been wrongly classified as a suicide, as the death was likely accidental.
Philippine consul general in Dubai Benito Valeriano said they were naturally concerned when citizens committed suicide, but added there was not much authorities could do to prevent it.
"Suicide can happen to anybody, regardless of religion and culture. It's a person's own decision," he told Gulf News.
He added the Philippine Overseas Labor Office counsels people "but many don't go there for help, they just suffer in silence." - Fidel Gimenez, GMANews.TV
In a press statement released on Thursday, Migrante International’s chapter in the UAE said seven Filipinos had committed suicide during the first eight months of 2008.
"It's not normal that seven Filipinos should commit suicide in eight months. We want (the Philippine authorities in the UAE) to find out why they are committing suicide," Nhel Morona, secretary-general of Migrante-UAE, said in the statement.
“(We) came to know about these cases of ‘suicide’ from family members who have sought assistance from us. We are quite surprised that despite the sudden dramatic increase of OFW deaths, our government officials in the Emirates have done nothing but simply declared these as ‘suicide’ without thorough investigation," said Morona.
He added that Migrante is still confirming the two reported “suicide" cases of a Filipino man and woman both in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE.
Morona said the earliest recorded case was of a man who reportedly hanged himself on February 4. On Feb.6, a woman named Norayda Ayuman was reported to have jumped to her death from the 7th floor of a building.
On June 13, Jeffrey Alberto So was reported to have jumped to his death from the 3rd floor of a building.
The body Mitos Vergara, who was reported to have jumped from a building.on June 24, had been repatriated, and so with Remedios Waayan from Benguet province, who repatriated on July 24.
Myrna Baylosis, who was said to have jumped from the 4th floor of the building.on July 8, is still in the custody of Abu Dhabi Police, Morona said.
The latest alleged suicide was identified as Evelyn Lilo, who allegedly jumped from a building on August 10.
Philippine authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai said they could only confirm three suicide cases, Gulf News said in a report on Friday. All confirmed cases were in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Noel Servigon, Philippine consul-general in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News that three cases were still under investigation by the police.
"We don't know whether they were accidents, suicides or foul play," he was quoted by the Gulf News report as saying.
Servigon said the embassy has asked the police to re-investigate one case, that of Vergara who died in July, after the embassy had received a request from Vergara's family.
He also said the one of the cases listed in the press statement had been wrongly classified as a suicide, as the death was likely accidental.
Philippine consul general in Dubai Benito Valeriano said they were naturally concerned when citizens committed suicide, but added there was not much authorities could do to prevent it.
"Suicide can happen to anybody, regardless of religion and culture. It's a person's own decision," he told Gulf News.
He added the Philippine Overseas Labor Office counsels people "but many don't go there for help, they just suffer in silence." - Fidel Gimenez, GMANews.TV
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