President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday met with the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Saudi Arabia who was doused with boiling water by the mother of her employer four years ago.
OFW Pahima Alagasi met with the president in Davao City after she arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Saudi.
Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go voiced Duterte’s concern for OFWs in the Gulf state. The president also said the government is doing all it can to help OFWs in the Middle East.
“Natutuwa po kami, lalong lalo na si Presidente Duterte, at natulungan ng Gobyerno si Pahima at naiuwi natin sya dito sa bansa at sa pamilya nya,” Go’s post on Facebook read.
In May 2014, the mother of Alagasi’s employer allegedly poured boiling water on her back and neck while picking up the lid of a thermos that fell on the floor.
Alagasi filed a maltreatment case after the incident. However, the OFW’s employer countered this by filing a slander case after Alagasi posted on Facebook photos of burns she sustained.
The two later on had an agreement after the intervention of Saudi authorities.
However, Alagasi’s ongoing trials stopped her from going home.
The OFW was able to go home after Duterte requested Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif to allow the Filipina to return to the Philippines.
“Hindi ko po kasi inasahan na makakauwi pa ko,” she said.
“Kahit nandito na ako, hindi pa rin po ako makapaniwala.”
