Zubiri urges DOLE to probe death of another OFW from Kuwait


By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News
Senator Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to conduct an investigation on the death of another OFW who just came home from Kuwait.
"I heard yesterday na isa sa mga kababayan natin na taga-Negros by the name of Josie Lloren. She arrived alive in the Philippines but because of massive bleeding namatay po siya," Zubiri said during a Senate hearing.
"Ang importante kasi sa akin, to find out circumstances on her death kasi may foul play daw," Zubiri said. "Dapat sa susunod na hearing, meron na po tayong findings." 
Zubiri said the Filipina was supposedly "physically abused" and "starved to death" by her employers. 
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the department has no idea that Lloren already returned to the Philippines.
"Natapos 'yung contract niya, we're never aware na umuwi na siya. Di siya nagpaalam na umuwi na siya," he said.
"The OFW did not seek help to embassy or POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office). Nalaman na lang nila of her death nung nandito na siya sa Manila," Bello added.
Zubiri also said the total deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait must also be implemented to other countries where there are cases of abuses against Filipino workers.
"Galing na naman sa Kuwait ang ating kababayan. If this is the case we should support our President’s total ban sa Kuwait at hindi lang sa Kuwait kundi maging sa ibang bansa na may abuse. They treat them as slaves," Zubiri said.
Bello, meanwhile, vowed to look into Lloren's case.
The Senate was investigating the death of Joanna Demafelis, the OFW found in a freezer in Kuwait, and other abuses suffered by Filipino workers in the Middle East. —KBK, GMA News

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