Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were trafficked in Syria experienced maltreatment and abuse from the hands of their employers, according to Philippine Embassy in Syria Chargé d’ affaires Vida Soraya Verzosa.
Versoza said a lot of OFWs were forced to work 18 hours a day despite being underpaid, reported Inquirer. “Their employers would slap them, shout at them. They were not being fed properly.”
Aside from contract violations, Versoza said these workers were asked to sign contracts written in Arabic.
The diplomat even shared a story of abuse of an OFW named ‘Lara’ who was chained by her employer and kept in the toilet for seven years.
“She was kept for seven years in the toilet or the hammam. They would punch her so hard that her teeth would be knocked out,” Versoza said.
She added that Lara’s employers would verbally abuse her and throw urine of the baby she’s taking care of.
Lara is also prohibited from contacting her family in the Philippines.
“She was not paid her salaries during that period in time,” the envoy furthered.
Versoza said Lara only managed to escape the horrific situation when a Syrian family helped and brought her to the Philippine embassy in Syria.
Lara’s case was referred to criminal courts, according to Versoza.
Versoza said these trafficked OFWs fell victim to recruiters who promised that they will land a job in Dubai only to find out that they will be deployed to other countries.
“Like they would be put on a boat to Sabah. And then later on from Sabah to Colombo, Sri Lanka and then from Sri Lanka to Dubai or Abu Dhabi and then from Dubai to Syria,” she furthered.
Meanwhile, Versoza said not all OFWs in Syria end up in the same fate as trafficked workers, some were lucky that they got employers who treat them like a family.
But the envoy noted that this does not justify the abuse and violations experienced by OFWs.
