Senator Raffy Tulfo on Friday, September 30, called on the government to pursue the filing of criminal charges against local agency Gulf Synergy Employment Inc. and its employees who were largely responsible for the death of Filipino domestic helper Jovelyn Tang Andres.
Tulfo, who heads the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said Gulf Synergy failed to fulfill its duty to monitor and ensure the safety of Andres, who suffered abuse in Saudi Arabia, and eventually died.
“Bagamat inamin ng Gulf Synergy ang kanilang pagkakamali at humingi ng pasensya, hindi na nito maibabalik ang buhay ni Jovelyn. Panahon na para managot ang mga pabayang ahensya (Even though Gulf Synergy has accepted responsibility for their mistakes and have issued an apology, Jovelyn’s life can never be recovered. It’s time to hold the agency fully accountable),” Tulfo said.
The issue surrounding Andres’ death was brought up during the Senate hearing of the Migrant Workers Committee, when Tulfo asked Gulf Synergy President Arnulfo Babiera to explain their obvious neglect of duty to monitor the OFW’s condition.
Andres reportedly went to Saudi Arabia after being recruited from Saranggani by a certain Emma Fernandez, an agent of Manabe Aleklas Recruitment Agency, which is the counterpart of Gulf Synergy in Saudi.
Based on government agencies and fellow OFWs, Andres’ was already pregnant but her employer only knew about her pregnancy when she was already in Saudi, which prompted them to return her to Manabe.
But Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople said Manabe is not authorized to directly recruit workers from the Philippines, therefore, Fernandez is an illegal recruiter entertained by Gulf Synergy.
Instead of helping her, the agency’s people allegedly mixed medicine into Andres’ food and drink to abort the baby without her consent. Manabe also sold Andres to three different employers despite her plea to just go back to the Philippines.
Andres was found dead inside the bathroom of Manabe’s accommodation last March 25, allegedly due to asphyxia by ligature. A psychologist confirmed that Andres most likely committed suicide due to post-partum depression.
Babiera claimed he was unaware of Andres’ situation prior to her death, but admitted that they indeed failed to monitor her situation.
According to Babiera, they cannot provide her the protection she deserved because the foreign recruitment agency was supposedly unreachable.
Given the circumstances, Tulfo recommended the filing criminal charges against Fernandez, Manabe, as well as her foreign employers.
“Eto pong si (This) Emma Fernandez, na isang (is an) illegal recruiter, dapat ay masampahan din ng kasong kriminal (and she should be made to face criminal charges),” Tulfo said.
“Now, meron po kaming balita, na papunta po siyang Saudi sa Friday. Baka pwede sigurong mapigilan muna sya dahil haharap pa siya sa kasong illegal recruitment. Ayokong makawala ito (Now, we have received reports that she is bound for Saudi Arabia this Friday. Maybe we can stop her so she can face charges for illegal recruitment. I don’t want her to escape),” he said.
For her part, Ople assured the committee that they will help find Fernandez and hold her accountable for her crime.
Ople also said the DMW has already stated forming a joint technical group with the Ministry of Social Resource and Social Development in Saudi to ensure that appropriate actions will be taken against the said foreign employers and Manabe.