Kin want new autopsy for OFW who 'died' in Riyadh
By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA
abs-cbnNEWS.com
The family of Eugenia Baja is planning to have her remains exhumed in Bohol province for another autopsy following the domestic worker's mysterious death in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
"Pinahuhukay ang bangkay next week," Migrante International spokesman Gary Martinez told abs-cbnNEWS.com, quoting a request from a Baja's family.
Baja’s relatives arrived at the decision to exhume her remains after suspecting that foul play was involved in her death.
"Inatake sa puso ang claim ng employer at yan din sinasabi sa report ng embahada sa Middle East. Tingin ng pamilya, di sila naniniwala na may sakit ang kanilang kapatid," Martinez said.
He said that Migrante and Baja’s family are scheduled to meet on Thursday to set the final date on when to exhume the body. He added that the National Bureau of Investigation office in Bohol is willing to assist and coordinate with Baja's family.
On Wednesday, Migrante and the families of victims of mysterious deaths abroad went to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to demand justice and call for a thorough reinvestigation of Baja’s case.
"May mga 50 na dumalo sa DFA para ihayag sa kanila ang tingin ng pamilya. Ipakita ang pictures ng bankay. Alam nila na may dialogue. Hinigpitan daw ang seguridad kasi may bisita daw. Sa dayuhan bukas ang foreign affairs, pero sa mga tinatawag nilang bagong bayani di sila handa," Martinez said.
The family recently received an autopsy report from Saudi Arabia but still maintained their suspicion that the OFW was a victim of foul play.
"May mga bugbog at galos and iba’t ibang parte ng katawan ng kapatid ko. May saksak pa ng kutsilyo sa may tagiliran," said Baja’s elder sister, Elizabeth Garcia.
In a statement, Migrante International chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said the autopsy report revealed that Baja was starved for 28-35 days.
"How can this be suicide? The wounds and marks indicate that she had been severely maltreated. Why didn't DFA officials investigate at all?" asked Regalado.
Committed suicide?
It was learned that Baja’s alleged suicide happened on February 24, days after her family received text messages from the OFW telling them that she needed help.
Conflicting reports also bolstered the family’s suspicion about the cause of Baja’s death.
The DFA allegedly informed the family that Baja killed herself by banging her head in the toilet tiles, three days after locking herself up inside her room.
However, documents from Saudi authorities which arrived with the body stated that Baja died in a hospital due to ulcer.
Baja’s remains were repatriated to the Philippines three months after her mysterious death.
"This is again another case where the DFA and embassy officials have not only proven themselves to be callous and useless in protecting Filipino citizens. They have also shown how blatantly they can become so servile to a foreign government, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the truth, so willing to sacrifice yet another victim in return for the chance to export cheap labor and profit from our remittances," Regalado said.
Regalado also criticized President Arroyo who said in her State of the Nation Address that she cares for the OFWs.
"How dare President Arroyo say she cares for OFWs, in no less than her SONA statement, when we have so many other Eugenia Baja whose deaths cry for justice! If she continues to do nothing about this case, it is a "blatant toleration of human rights violations against OFWs and is tantamount to being accomplice to the crime. The DFA must investigate this at once," she said.
Migrante has documented 23 cases of OFW "mysterious deaths" under the Arroyo administration.
Regalado cited the recent "alleged suicides" of Maria Mitos Vergara and Jefrey Alberto So, in Dubai last June 24 and Gilbert Angeles, who was found dead in his apartment in Singapore on June 30.
Furthermore, the cases and other issues concerning migrants will be tackled in the International Assembly of Migrants & Refugees, the migrants' response to the Global Forum on Migration and Development to be hosted by the Philippine government this coming October.
abs-cbnNEWS.com
The family of Eugenia Baja is planning to have her remains exhumed in Bohol province for another autopsy following the domestic worker's mysterious death in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
"Pinahuhukay ang bangkay next week," Migrante International spokesman Gary Martinez told abs-cbnNEWS.com, quoting a request from a Baja's family.
Baja’s relatives arrived at the decision to exhume her remains after suspecting that foul play was involved in her death.
"Inatake sa puso ang claim ng employer at yan din sinasabi sa report ng embahada sa Middle East. Tingin ng pamilya, di sila naniniwala na may sakit ang kanilang kapatid," Martinez said.
He said that Migrante and Baja’s family are scheduled to meet on Thursday to set the final date on when to exhume the body. He added that the National Bureau of Investigation office in Bohol is willing to assist and coordinate with Baja's family.
On Wednesday, Migrante and the families of victims of mysterious deaths abroad went to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to demand justice and call for a thorough reinvestigation of Baja’s case.
"May mga 50 na dumalo sa DFA para ihayag sa kanila ang tingin ng pamilya. Ipakita ang pictures ng bankay. Alam nila na may dialogue. Hinigpitan daw ang seguridad kasi may bisita daw. Sa dayuhan bukas ang foreign affairs, pero sa mga tinatawag nilang bagong bayani di sila handa," Martinez said.
The family recently received an autopsy report from Saudi Arabia but still maintained their suspicion that the OFW was a victim of foul play.
"May mga bugbog at galos and iba’t ibang parte ng katawan ng kapatid ko. May saksak pa ng kutsilyo sa may tagiliran," said Baja’s elder sister, Elizabeth Garcia.
In a statement, Migrante International chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said the autopsy report revealed that Baja was starved for 28-35 days.
"How can this be suicide? The wounds and marks indicate that she had been severely maltreated. Why didn't DFA officials investigate at all?" asked Regalado.
Committed suicide?
It was learned that Baja’s alleged suicide happened on February 24, days after her family received text messages from the OFW telling them that she needed help.
Conflicting reports also bolstered the family’s suspicion about the cause of Baja’s death.
The DFA allegedly informed the family that Baja killed herself by banging her head in the toilet tiles, three days after locking herself up inside her room.
However, documents from Saudi authorities which arrived with the body stated that Baja died in a hospital due to ulcer.
Baja’s remains were repatriated to the Philippines three months after her mysterious death.
"This is again another case where the DFA and embassy officials have not only proven themselves to be callous and useless in protecting Filipino citizens. They have also shown how blatantly they can become so servile to a foreign government, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the truth, so willing to sacrifice yet another victim in return for the chance to export cheap labor and profit from our remittances," Regalado said.
Regalado also criticized President Arroyo who said in her State of the Nation Address that she cares for the OFWs.
"How dare President Arroyo say she cares for OFWs, in no less than her SONA statement, when we have so many other Eugenia Baja whose deaths cry for justice! If she continues to do nothing about this case, it is a "blatant toleration of human rights violations against OFWs and is tantamount to being accomplice to the crime. The DFA must investigate this at once," she said.
Migrante has documented 23 cases of OFW "mysterious deaths" under the Arroyo administration.
Regalado cited the recent "alleged suicides" of Maria Mitos Vergara and Jefrey Alberto So, in Dubai last June 24 and Gilbert Angeles, who was found dead in his apartment in Singapore on June 30.
Furthermore, the cases and other issues concerning migrants will be tackled in the International Assembly of Migrants & Refugees, the migrants' response to the Global Forum on Migration and Development to be hosted by the Philippine government this coming October.
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