OFW beaten by KSA recruitment personnel arrives in PHL


By RONALDO CONCHA
An OFW who claimed she was beaten by a Saudi recruitment agency staff in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has returned to the Philippines.
Evalyn Calma told GMA News upon her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Riyadh on Thursday that the Saudi recruitment agency staff beat her after her employer complained she did not do her household work well.
Calma had just arrived in KSA to work as household worker when her employer complained to the Saudi recruitment agency that deployed her about her performance.
"Nagsumbong ang amo ko na hindi daw po ako nagtatrabaho tapos kinukuhanan ko daw ng picture yung mga bata, tapos bigla na lang po tumayo ang Arabong babae tapos kinaladkad ako patungo sa kabila, tapos ibinalibag po ako sa sofa," kwento ni Evalyn.
Calma claimed a female agency staff grabbed her tightly by the arm and struck her upper arm hard using a mobile phone.

Calma shows her severely bruised upper right arm. --R. Concha
Calma shows her severely bruised upper right arm. --R. Concha

Moreover, she said the agency's Filipina staff also scolded her, and threatened her she would be transferred to an abusive employer.
Calma said it took her two days before she could ask for help —through social media —from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, after her phone was returned to her.
Expatriates rights advocate group Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW help Calma get POLO welfare officer Benny Reyes to rescue her.
The Saudi recruitment agency  denied Calma's claims and refused to show to Philippine authorities the CCTV footage while Calma was taken to that agency's office. Also, authorities could not find the Saudi woman employee who supposedly abused her.
Calma vowed to file a complaint before the Philippine recruitment agency that sent her to Saudi Arabia. —LBG, GMA News

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