In the wake of alleged rape incidents among Pinay workers, the Philippine government may be prompted to impose ban on sending overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Saudi Arabia.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said in a virtual briefing that two Filipinas were sexually abused by their employers.
One of them asked for help to be rescued after she was raped by her employer, whose wife also physically assaulted the Filipina. She returned to the Philippines last June 25.
Another OFW, who was raped by her employers in Riyadh, is now two months pregnant, according to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
During a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, Bello said: “Napakasama ng ginawa nila sa ating kababayan. Sa takot lang niya, hindi na siya nagsampa ng kaso doon at minabuti na niyang umuwi.
“Masakit man sabihin, two months nang buntis yung atin kababayan, clear proof na napagsamantalahan.”
“While the investigation is ongoing, I’m putting forth the foreign recruitment agency and the Philippine recruitment agency under suspension. If we don’t get justice for our OFWs, the president may again consider declaring a ban to Saudi Arabia,” Bello said.
Bello instructed Labor Attache Fidel Macauyag to work closely with Saudi authorities for the filing of charges against Home Comfort owner Meshail Mabrook Al Bassani Al Qahtani and employer Abdulaziz Ahlas.
Bello also told Philippine Overseas Employment Administration chief Bernard Olalia to sanction Home Comfort and Al Qahtani.
He was also tasked to report other violations of the agency and impose penalties on sexual abuse.
The local recruitment agency called SAMA International Recruitment Agency will also be sanctioned after ignoring the complaints of the victim.
