Bello orders recall of labor attaché in Kuwait over 'negligence'

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has ordered the recall of a labor attaché in Kuwait following the death of a Filipino household worker there who was reportedly beaten by her employer.
Ordered recalled for alleged negligence and lack of concern for the welfare of OFWs in her jurisdiction was Angelita Narvaez, the acting labor attaché in Kuwait, according to a news release from the Department of Labor and Employment.
"I issued a recall order to Narvaez for her inaction and lack of concern to our overseas Filipino workers," Bello said.

Bello said Narvaez did not inform him of the case of Amy Capulong Santiago when he flew to Kuwait after concluding the third round of peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist-led National Democratic Front in Rome, Italy.

"Santiago died on January 25. I was there on January 26 and Narvaez did not inform me about Santiago's tragic fate," Bello said. "Narvaez, in effect, misled the Secretary of the Department of Labor by concealing that information."

He added that Narvaez also deliberately prevented him from meeting the OFWs at the Bahay Kalinga.

"I was told by an OFW who returned from Kuwait that there were about 100 Filipino workers who were at the second floor. Itinago niya," Bello said.

Bahay Kalinga is the temporary shelter for distressed Filipinos located in Philippine embassies in countries with large concentrations of Filipino migrant workers.

Narvaez will be investigated by the labor department’s International Labor Affairs Bureau, her mother office.

Meanwhile, Bello said he had discussed the situation of the household service workers in Kuwait with Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmal Althwaikh during the latter’s visit on Thursday at the DOLE office.

Although he did not disclose the agreements reached during the visit, Bello said that the conversation was "very frank and congenial." —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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