Poe seeks Senate probe on Demafelis’ killing, abuses vs. OFWs


Senator Grace Poe has filed a resolution calling for a Senate investigation on the death of Joanna Demafelis, the Filipina worker who was found inside a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait. 
Aside from the death of Demafelis, Senate Resolution 636 also aims to look into the death of another OFW in Kuwait, Josie Lloren, and other abuses and cases of maltreatment of Filipinos working abroad.
Similar to Demafelis' fate, Lloren allegedly suffered abuse in the hands of her employers. She died on February 9.
Poe, in her four-page resolution, said the objective of the investigation is to formulate effective measures and policies to proactively and efficiently assist and protect our migrant workers and their families before, during and after deployment."
Poe said the Philippine government seems to have failed in addressing the problems of the OFWs despite their contribution in the country's economy.
Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that cash remittances from OFWs in 2016 reached a record $26.9 billion, which was bigger by 5 percent compared to 2015's $25.61 billion.
"Despite the overall positive impact brought to us by our OFWs, we seem to fail to acknowledge and address the problems and issues they encounter thousands of miles away from the comforts of their families and homes in the Philippines," Poe said.
Poe said the common problems of OFWs have been "very much intertwined." These include illegal recruitment, exorbitant placement fees, abusive employers and indictments of crimes they did not commit.
Poe also said the policies of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on ensuring the safety of OFWs abroad need to be reviewed and re-assessed.
"It appears that the above-enumerated policies are only good on paper as we have continously failed to protect our OFWs around the world as we have always been keen on after-the-fact, knee jerk and short-term measures," Poe said.
"It is high time that we value the faces and stories behind the statistics and numbers related to our OFWs and to acknowledge and recognize their cries behind the scenes abroad only to ensure the smiles of their loved ones at home," the senator added.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered a probe into the alleged inaction of its attached agencies on Demafelis's case.
A Red Notice has also been put up by the Interpol in Syria and Lebanon against Demafelis' employers, a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife.
Demafelis' remains will be laid to rest at the Sara Public Cemetery on March 3.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a total deployment ban of Filipino workers to Kuwait following several reported cases of maltreatment. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News

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