23 OFWs now back in RP after ordeal in Carribean

MANILA, Philippines – The ordeal of 23 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were detained in Trinidad and Tobago finally ended on Wednesday as they returned to the Philippines.

The workers, all from Cebu in the central Philippines, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 3:20 p.m. on board a Qatar Airways flight from London and Doha in Qatar, where they stopped over in their long flight from the Caribbean. From Manila, they were flown to Cebu at 7:30 p.m.

Previous reports by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the workers left their employer in Tobago due to breach of contract and tried to transfer to another employer in Trinidad, but upon arrival they were detained by immigration authorities for allegedly holding fake documents based on a report by their first employer.

Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean and lies northeast of the Venezuela and south of Grenada.


Pinoys' help

Engineer Jacqueline Fortuna told GMANews.TV that they woudn't have been repatriated quickly had it not been for the help of fellow Filipinos who were working inside the Trinidad and Tobago jails.

Fortuna, the only woman in the group, said a Filipina who worked in the women's desk immediately notified the Philippine consulate office as well as Fortuna's relatives in Cebu.

Other Filipino workers also assisted them to bring their plight to the authorities particularly the offices of Sen. Villar and Governor Gwen Garcia of Cebu, who shouldered the plane tickets of the 23 OFWs.

Fortuna said they were prohibited from calling their own relatives inside the cell. “We were just victims in this incident," she told GMANews.TV in an interview. “Thank God there were Filipinos who helped us."

Fortuna also thanked the Philippine Consul Marie Magno-Advani, who immediately rushed to the jail upon knowing of their situation.

Fortuna said they were jailed in September 19 and were freed October 20. The group is also thinking of lodging a formal complaint against their employers for the alleged contract substitution.


Seed capital

Meanwhile, the office of Villar extend a “seed capital" worth P 5,000 to each of the 23 repatriated OFWs to start their own businesses.

A representative of Villar handed over the seed fund to the workers upon their arrival at the NAIA.

A press statement by Villar’s office said the families of the OFWs earlier asked his assistance for the immediate repatriation of their loved ones in Trinidad.

“Not only do we want to assure the safe return of our Visayan kababayan but we also want to know why and how their recruitment was arranged when there was already prior knowledge that a bogus employer awaited them abroad," Villar stressed in the statement.

Villar, who has vowed to continue helping distressed OFWs, also led the repatriation of 23 distressed Filipinos workers from Jordan on Sept. 22. He personally went to Amman, the capital of Jordan, and took home the domestic helpers, most of whom were sick, underage, and maltreated.

Below is a list of the repatriated OFWs:

1. Jacqueline Ann Fortuna of Mandaue City;
2. Roberto Gubalani of Cebu City
3. Raul Gonzaga of Camotes, Cebu;
4. Alex Gonzaga of Camotes, Cebu;
5. Wenrito Wenceslao of San Francisco, Cebu;
6. Edsel Otadoy of Camotes Cebu;
7. Fortunato Barral Jr. of Camotes, Cebu;
8. Allan Andrade of Camotes, Cebu;
9. Edwin Andrade of Camotes, Cebu;
10. Joeros Arguedo of Camotes, Cebu;
11. Jason Lawas of San Francisco, Cebu;
12. Vincent Luchavez of Danao City;
13. Alfredo Casona of Danao City;
14. Rolando Hablero of Cebu City;
15. Reynaldo Estrelleoso of Cebu City;
16. Porfirio Canete of Cebu City;
17. Cleofas Pat of Cebu City;
18. Raul Ybanez;
19. Jose Clubio;
20. Regine Nellas;
21. Barry Bacus;
22. Alvin Catalan; and
23. Carlos Villacarlos.

- GMANews.TV

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