(Eagle News) – The Department of Foreign Affairs is monitoring another incident of OFW abuse in Saudi Arabia and is coordinating with the authorities. The case concerns an overseas worker who was forced by her Saudi employer to drink household bleach.
In a statement, the DFA said the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah is closely monitoring the condition of Agnes Mancilla, a household service worker, who remains in serious but stable condition at the King Fahad Central Hospital in Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
“We would like to assure our kababayans that we are working closely with authorities in Jizan to make sure that justice will be given to Agnes Mancilla,” Consul General Edgar Badajos said.
Mancilla was rushed unconscious to the hospital by concerned Filipinos in Saudi Arabia after her lady employer allegedly forced her to ingest household bleach.
She underwent laparotomy immediately at the hospital to flush out the bleach from her stomach. Doctors also found burn marks on her back.
Consul General Badajos said Consulate officials also visited Mancilla and made representations with authorities in Jizan to make sure the appropriate charges were filed against her employer who was later arrested by police.
“The Consulate will regularly send representatives to Jizan to follow up her case with the police and to look into her condition,” Consul General Badajos said.
He said Mancilla had been working in Saudi Arabia since 2016 but was repeatedly physically abused by her lady employer and was not being paid her salary.
On Saturday, President Rodrigo Durerte assured that the government is taking steps to end the abuse on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East countries, after meeting with an overseas Filipino worker who was abused by her employer in Saudi Arabia.
President Duterte met with Pahima Alagasi, who was scaled by the mother of her employer with boiling water four years ago. She returned home Friday, after staying in a shelter run by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.
During their meeting at Coco’s South Bistro Restaurant in Davao City, President Duterte said the government is willing to do everything to help the Filipinos in the Middle East, according to a Malacanang release.
“The Chief Executive said he already reminded the workers to be careful since the culture and laws in a foreign country are different from that of the Philippines,” a Palace release said.
“President Duterte underscored that it is the interest of the Philippines to uphold the welfare and well-being of Filipino workers,” it added.
(with a DFA release)
