By Roy Mabasa
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has requested the Kuwaiti government for the immediate release of the official forensic report of overseas Filipino worker Ma. Constancia Lago Dayag, whose remains arrived in Manila Thursday, May 23.
Lovely Jane Dayag, the daughter of the murdered OFW Constancia Lago Dayag, mourns as the lifeless body of her mother arrives at NAIA Cargo in Pasay on Thursday, May 23, 2019. (JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a statement, the DFA said the request was coursed through the Criminal Evidence Department of Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior.
“As of the moment, the death certificate released by the Al-Sabah Hospital indicates that the cause of death is still under investigation,” the foreign affairs office said, even as it emphasized that “there is nothing to refute” about the case at the moment.
“Once the Kuwaiti report is released, we will double-check it with our own experts.”
Together with the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, the DFA stated they will continue to work with the Kuwait government for the speedy resolution of the felony murder case earlier filed by the Kuwaiti General Prosecutor’s Office and supported by the Embassy.
The DFA has instructed the private lawyer they hired to pursue this case to a “satisfactory resolution.”
“Our lawyer has made representations with the Kuwaiti General Prosecutor’s Office to stress that the Philippine Government will intervene and provide evidence as appropriate,” it added.
In addition, the DFA said it has endorsed the case to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which will undertake an independent autopsy and perform toxicology tests on the remains to determine the cause of death of the late OFW from Isabela.
It will also request the permission of Dayag’s family to bring the remains to the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Forensic Morgue for a similar examination of the human remains of Dayag.
The foreign assured that it will continue to provide assistance to nationals and legal support on the case of Dayag on top of the P100,000 financial assistance to the latter’s orphaned children to help defray the cost of her funeral.
Earlier reports indicated that Dayag suffered contusions and hematoma on her body. A cucumber was reportedly found inserted in her body, signs that she may have been beaten and sexually abused.
READ MORE: Charges filed over death of OFW in Kuwait