Former PNP chief retired Gen. Guillermo Eleazar with his supporters at his campaign headquarters in Makati City. (Photo supplied)
PARTIDO Reporma senatorial candidate General Guillermo Eleazar is urging the national government to immediately look into the call for assistance by a female Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was reported to have been repeatedly maltreated by her employer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In a reactive statement to the call for succor, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief stressed the importance of government’s immediate action with regards to complaints of abuse by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are most often vulnerable when working overseas due to cultural differences and legal issues.
“Nasa peligro ang buhay ng isa nating kababayan na si Juliet Manuales kaya bawat oras ay mahalaga upang matiyak ang kanyang kaligtasan. Sa kanyang pahayag na ginawa sa pamamagitan ng sikretong paghingi ng tulong, kailangan ang agarang rescue operation,” Eleazar pointed out.
Based on reports from Riyadh, Manuales, who works as a domestic helper, has been repeatedly seeking for government assistance as early as December last year when she first experienced physical abuse from her employer.
According to the Pinay DH, aside from the physical and mental abuse, her employer had even confiscated her cellular phone to make sure that she would not be able to contact anybody to complain and reveal her ordeal. Manuales likewise accused her employer of threatening to kill her. However, despite the threats, she was able to make a video call to ask for assistance.
“Nauunawaan ko na may mga prosesong dapat gawin tungkol dito pero let us cut all these processes and immediately proceed to the main issue that she needs help and therefore, she must be rescued immediately,” Eleazar enthused. “Matagal ng siyang humihingi ng tulong pero wala pa rin kaya huwag na nating hintayin pa na kung anong masama pang mangyari,” he added.
In addition to quick government responded, the country’s former Top Cop also said that the personnel and management of the agency whom Manuales first sought assistance must conduct an investigation why there was a failure to report the incident to the proper authorities.
“Kung mayroon ding mapatunayang nagpabaya sa mga ahensyang hiningan ng tulong, dapat tiyakin na mananagot sila,” Eleazar concluded.
