Pinay worker found in Saudi morgue a year after abduction
A 45-year-old Filipina household worker in Saudi Arabia was found in a hospital morgue last June, almost one year after she was allegedly abducted by her employer.
The victim was identified as Marilyn Restor, who was reportedly abducted by her employer, identified as Jada, while performing her duties on July 13, 2014. Her body was found at the morgue last June 17, 42 days after it was brought there.
The victim's husband, Arnulfo, also based in Saudi Arabia, told Migrante International that his wife was abducted after Jada accused her of trying to abscond with his employers.
Arnulfo said his employers attempted to rescue Marilyn from Jada after the Northern Riyadh Police failed to act on their complaints. He described Jada as a Saudi royal and wife of a ranking officer of the Saudi military.
Migrante, citing investigation by the Saudi police, said Jada had been the subject of complaints from their Filipino staff. Jada had reportedly accused Arnulfo's co-workers of "conspiring" with Marilyn to help her leave the household.
Pushed from a rooftop
Arnulfo said the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia told him that his wife was "pushed" from a rooftop after he called officials to confirm her death.
Migrante International claimed the embassy didn't update Marilyn's family regarding the progress of her case until Arnulfo demanded documents related to her disappearance.
Arnulfo's demands turned out letters dated September 16, 2014 from the embassy to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) requesting the following:
- a committee investigating the complaints of Filipino HSW's under Marilyn's employer and her husband;
- full reports for each of the 10 complaints;
- police escort for Restor and two other Filipinos (Dorothy Blancaflor and Levine Batague)
Neglect?
Migrante secretary-general Sol Pillas said Marilyn's family was “very, very angry” at her employer and the Philippine government for not having “the courtesy to inform them officially” of her death.
She added that Marilyn's death showed a lack of initiative from the government to intervene on behalf of the 10 Filipinos who filed complaints against Marilyn's employers, who have allegedly abused and maltreated the Filipinos.
“There was clearly no active intervention or urgent action from the PH Embassy to rescue them despite their dangerous circumstances. In Marilyn’s case, PH embassy neglect is apparent,” Pillas said in a statement on Tuesday.
DFA: Embassy in close coordination with victim's family
Sought for comment, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose told GMA News Online on Wednesday that Philippine officials last spoke with Marilyn's family in June to assist them in resolving the case.
He also said that the embassy is assisting the husband in requesting an autopsy to determine the real cause of Marilyn's death.
“The Embassy is in close coordination with the husband, who is also working in Saudi Arabia, and assisting him in bringing the remains of Marilyn back to the Philippines as soon as possible,” Jose said.
Marilyn lived and worked with Arnulfo and their youngest child in Saudi Arabia. Their two older children currently live with Marilyn's sister and relatives in General Santos City in the Philippines. —KBK, GMA News
The victim was identified as Marilyn Restor, who was reportedly abducted by her employer, identified as Jada, while performing her duties on July 13, 2014. Her body was found at the morgue last June 17, 42 days after it was brought there.
The victim's husband, Arnulfo, also based in Saudi Arabia, told Migrante International that his wife was abducted after Jada accused her of trying to abscond with his employers.
Arnulfo said his employers attempted to rescue Marilyn from Jada after the Northern Riyadh Police failed to act on their complaints. He described Jada as a Saudi royal and wife of a ranking officer of the Saudi military.
Migrante, citing investigation by the Saudi police, said Jada had been the subject of complaints from their Filipino staff. Jada had reportedly accused Arnulfo's co-workers of "conspiring" with Marilyn to help her leave the household.
Pushed from a rooftop
Arnulfo said the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia told him that his wife was "pushed" from a rooftop after he called officials to confirm her death.
Migrante International claimed the embassy didn't update Marilyn's family regarding the progress of her case until Arnulfo demanded documents related to her disappearance.
Arnulfo's demands turned out letters dated September 16, 2014 from the embassy to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) requesting the following:
- a committee investigating the complaints of Filipino HSW's under Marilyn's employer and her husband;
- full reports for each of the 10 complaints;
- police escort for Restor and two other Filipinos (Dorothy Blancaflor and Levine Batague)
Neglect?
Migrante secretary-general Sol Pillas said Marilyn's family was “very, very angry” at her employer and the Philippine government for not having “the courtesy to inform them officially” of her death.
She added that Marilyn's death showed a lack of initiative from the government to intervene on behalf of the 10 Filipinos who filed complaints against Marilyn's employers, who have allegedly abused and maltreated the Filipinos.
“There was clearly no active intervention or urgent action from the PH Embassy to rescue them despite their dangerous circumstances. In Marilyn’s case, PH embassy neglect is apparent,” Pillas said in a statement on Tuesday.
DFA: Embassy in close coordination with victim's family
Sought for comment, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose told GMA News Online on Wednesday that Philippine officials last spoke with Marilyn's family in June to assist them in resolving the case.
He also said that the embassy is assisting the husband in requesting an autopsy to determine the real cause of Marilyn's death.
“The Embassy is in close coordination with the husband, who is also working in Saudi Arabia, and assisting him in bringing the remains of Marilyn back to the Philippines as soon as possible,” Jose said.
Marilyn lived and worked with Arnulfo and their youngest child in Saudi Arabia. Their two older children currently live with Marilyn's sister and relatives in General Santos City in the Philippines. —KBK, GMA News
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