Filipino, Indonesian maids flee 'abusive' sponsor

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino maid and her Indonesian colleague have run away from their "abusive" Uzbek woman sponsor and have sought refuge in their respective missions in Dubai.

Online news site Khaleej Times reported Wednesday that Filipino Sally Sotto, 22, and Indonesian Rumina Musa, 28, left the sponsor's house at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

"We would assist them and bring medical professionals to examine them," Indonesian Consul-General Faisal Harun and Filipino Consul-General Benito Valeriano said, adding they would study the cases and protect their workers.

The Uzbek sponsor, whose name was withheld until cases are filed, is reportedly the wife of an Emirati with a six-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

Musa said she had been working with the family for a year and a half.

"I wanted to leave long time ago, especially on a day my whole body had bruises after she beat me up, but I did not know where to go. I did not have any friends to take me to my embassy. Now that I had a companion in Sally, when my madam hit me thrice on my eyes, I decided to leave," she said.

Sotto, on the other hand, joined the family only three months back.

Musa said she had worked in Saudi Arabia for seven years before coming to the UAE. "Never had I encountered such an employer. Now, I just want to return home, and may be go back to Saudi Arabia," she said.

The refugee shelter in the Indonesian Consulate already has over 70 runaway maids. The Philippine Consulate has over 60 Filipino maids. - GMANews.TV

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