Prostitution ring kidnapped Pinay in Kuwait: report

The Philippine embassy in Kuwait denied not doing anything to help locate a missing Filipina who is believed to have been kidnapped by a Bangladeshi prostitution syndicate.

“Ang embahada po ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa police station at ini-report ang alleged kidnapping na ito dahil ang embahada po ng Pilipinas ay wala pong police power dito sa bansang Kuwait,” said case officer Abdulhalim Langco of the Assistance to Nationals Unit of the Philippine Embassy.

Langco was reacting to the allegations of Madelyn Lumba, cousin of missing Pinay Maria Lovely Joy Donaire.

Lumba sought the help of Balitang Middle East to find her cousin, whom she alleged was kidnapped by a Bangladeshi prostitution syndicate.

She said Donaire was employed as a household service worker but ran away from her employers for seven months because of non-payment of wages.

"Tumakas po si Lovely ng December 19. Sabi ko sa kanya, pumunta ka na sa embassy dahil ang embassy ang safe place para sa yo. Ang huling text nya sa akin ay Jan. 1. Hindi ko na siya nakontak magmula noon,” Lumba said.

The last text she got from her cousin was last January 8. Her cousin told her that she was already on her way to the embassy on board a taxi. However, she found herself transported to another place and locked up inside a room.

Fearing for her cousin’s safety, Lumba immediately reported the incident to the Philippine embassy last January 11 but she was told to return when she already had Donaire’ address.

“Noong tinatawagan po namin ang embassy at tinatanong si Mr. Halim tungkol sa kaso, ang sabi niya ay nagta-trabaho daw po sila. Yun po ang madalas na sabihin ni Mr. Halim: sige na, sige na, nagtatrabaho kami,” Lumba said.

However, Langco stressed that the embassy is not sitting on the case. As a matter of fact, the embassy was able to rescue 128 Filipinas from white slavery from October 2006 to January 2009.

Meanwhile, Lumba’s only wish is to locate her cousin.

“Nananawagan po ako kay Ambassador Ricardo Endaya, sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan na sana matulungan niyo po na mahanap si Lovely,” Lumba said. Reports from Maxxy Santiago, Balitang Middle East

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