The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday, April 19, said the condition of the overseas Filipina worker (OFW) who was forced to drink bleach by her employer in Saudi Arabia has improved.
Consul General Edgar Badajos, who monitors the condition of Agnes Mancilla, relayed the information to Elmer Cato, acting Assistant Secretary of the DFA’s Office of Public Diplomacy.
“Sinabi niya (Badajos) na nag-improve na ang condition ni Agnes at malamang by this time nailipat na ‘yan sa isang regular ward, kasi nasa ICU siya in the past several days dahil sa injuries resulting from ingestion ng chlorox,” Cato said.
Mancilla is currently recuperating in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in Saudi Arabia after she was allegedly forced to drink bleach by her employer.
Mancilla, a 36-year-old household service worker from Infanta, Quezon, has been admitted to the King Fahad Central Hospital in Jizan, Saudi Arabia after the incident.
Fellow OFWs rushed Mancilla to the hospital after they found her unconscious on April 2.
The Pinay worker has undergone laparotomy to get the bleach out of her liver. Doctors also found burns on Mancilla’s back.
Mancilla’s employer allegedly bit her when she made mistakes. The OFW was also forced to work long hours with little food.
The Pinay’s employer was immediately arrested by Saudi authorities.
“Dahil hindi pa makapagbigay ng statement itong si Agnes dahil unconscious siya ay temporarily ni-release siya (employer) muna sa custody ng kanyang mga kamag-anak,” Cato said.
Mancilla’s family is set to fly to Saudi to monitor the condition of the OFW.
“Kahapon ay nag-apply na ng passports ang members ng family ni Agnes at napag-alaman namin na tinutulungan sila ng recruitment agency niya dito sa Pilipinas,” he said.
