Following the news of the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was supposedly had her genitals sewn shut by her employer, the Department of Foreign Affairs is appealing to Filipinos abroad to verify information before posting it on social media.
The Facebook post about the OFW in Bahrain went viral but was found by the DFA to be untrue, according to their statement.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said that they appreciate the concern of the people who reposted the video but she hoped that they would be more careful in sharing unverified information on social media especially in the Middle East because of its defamation laws.
She added that complaints do not have to go viral before it is taken seriously and investigated. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano verified the woman’s location and had her checked up by doctors.
The Philippine Ambassador to Manama, Bahrain, Alfonso Ver, informed the DFA that the said OFW in the video was already in the Philippines when the post went around on social media.
However, the doctors found no indications that the woman was mutilated. Instead, they found signs of physical abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. She is currently confined in a local hospital and will receive the medical and financial assistance of the DFA.
The ambassador is coordinating with the Labor Market Regulatory Authority for the investigation after finding out that the OFW was also underpaid by her employer.
Undersecretary Arriola noted that while it is important to protect the welfare of OFWs, it is also vital to protect the country’s relations with other states.
