Akbayan's Bello wants independent body to probe alleged 'sexploitation' of OFWs

A party-list lawmaker on Friday asked Malacañang to form an independent body to probe the alleged sexual exploitation of Filipino workers in some Philippine embassies and consulates particularly in the Middle East.

In an interview with reporters at the Supreme Court, Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello said some witnesses might refuse to speak about the controversy because they did not trust some officials at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which is currently probing the incident.

Asked who should make up the independent body, Bello said: "We will leave it up to the executive department to do that."

"Pero siyempre, there are some people of some stature kagaya ng ating Ombudsman ngayon who can be part of it," added Bello, chair of the House committee on overseas workers affairs.

Bello was at the Supreme Court to take his oath as the newly-re-elected representative of Akbayan party-list in the House of Representatives. He took his oath before SC Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

The DOLE had earlier assured the public that it would wrap up its ongoing investigation after two weeks.

"So expect criminal charges to be filed in two weeks time," Bello said.
 
At a press briefing Tuesday, Bello said three Philippine embassy and labor officials in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait  have been accused of sexually abusing OFWs in exchange for repatriation.
 
These alleged cases of exploitation were uncovered when Bello's committee investigated the reported "sex-for-flight" activities where female overseas Filipinos were allegedly offered repatriation by officials in exchange for sex.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said he was initially unaware of reports of prostitution rings allegedly operated by Philippine embassy staffers, despite purported knowledge of senior foreign officials that nefarious practices had been going on.

A number of Philippine envoys to the Middle East have already been ordered to come home for consultations amid the reported exploitation.  Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News

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