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OFW doused with boiling water in Saudi is finally coming home

Overseas Filipina worker (OFW) Fahima “Candies” Alagasi, who suffered from severe burns after her employer in Saudi Arabia doused her with boiling water in 2014, is finally coming home.

ACTS OFW party-list Representative John Bertiz III said Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Manila Dr. Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Bussairy called to inform him that Alagasi could now leave Riyadh and “come home anytime”.

“Dr. Al-Bussairy notified me that the retaliatory cases filed by the employer against Pahima have been resolved through the intercession of Saudi Prince and Interior Minister H.R.H. Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif soon after his official visit in Malacañang,” Bertiz said.

Bertiz also recognized President Rodrigo Duterte’s efforts in discussing the issue with the Saudi Prince, as this mainly helped in the government’s decision to allow Alagasi to come home.

“We thank President Duterte and Crown Prince Saud bin Naif for intervening in this case. Without their help, Pahima’s dream of seeing her children would have been impossible,” Bertiz said.

In 2014, Alagasi’s female employer allegedly poured boiling water to the Filipina after the OFW accidentally dropped the lid of a thermos while preparing coffee.

The OFW suffered from second-degree burns on her neck, back, and thighs due to the incident. Moreover, her employer only allowed her to seek treatment three hours after the incident.

Alagasi escaped her employer while undergoing treatment at the Raseel Medical Center and sought the help of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

“She filed a complaint against her employer but the case was dismissed by a Saudi court,” Bertiz said.

“The employer retaliated with a false accusation charge plus a claim for $66,000 (250,000 Saudi riyal) in damages against Pahima. The charge was dismissed by a Saudi judge, but the employer elevated the case to the appeals court.”

Due to the cases, Alagasi was not able to come back to the Philippines right away.

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