One-month suspension of ‘negligent’ labor attaché an insult to OFWs – Susan Ople

Migrant rights advocate Susan Ople has expressed disappointment over the Department of Labor and Employment's (DOLE) decision to slap a one-month suspension on labor attaché Adam Musa.

“One-month suspension? What an insult to our OFWs!” Ople said on Facebook.

In an email interview on Wednesday, Ople said she has written a letter to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz regarding the matter.

She said the letter will help Grace Victoria Sales, a former overseas Filipino worker who was nearly raped by Musa's driver, pursue her case further.

“I wrote the letter this morning and conferred with Grace just a few minutes ago to seek permission for me to pursue her case,” said Ople.

“I'll be meeting her tomorrow [Thursday] to discuss the steps we would be taking in seeking a reconsideration of the DOLE decision,” she added.

Ople added that her office, the Blas F. Ople Center, only received the notice on Musa's suspension on Tuesday. She added that Sales is currently staying with her family.

Sales was nearly raped by Musa's driver, Jojo Casicas, during her stay in the Filipino Workers Resource Center or Bahay Kalinga in Saudi Arabia. Instead of handling the case personally, Musa ordered his staff members to give her a settlement worth SRA 10,000 (over P110,000).

Members of the Senate blue ribbon committee questioned Musa's decision to let his staff handle the case, instead of handling it personally.

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile said Musa committed "lapses" in handling the case, and even asked to remove the attaché from his post.

DOLE's fact-finding team recommended the administrative charge of gross negligence against Musa in August.

Ruled under Republic Act 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, Musa could've faced dismissal, but was instead given a 30-day suspension in a 31-page decision by Labor Secretary Baldoz.

The unpaid suspension, announced on February 10, states that Musa has until the end of the month to respond.

Baldoz was unavailable for comment as she was in Japan. — KBK, GMA News

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