DOJ told: Drop all “tanim-bala” charges

CEBU, Philippines - Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate and overseas Filipino workers’ welfare advocate Susan “Toots” Ople said the government is so slow and has no sense of urgency in the “tanim-bala” controversy.

This as she asked the Department of Justice to drop all the cases of “tanim-bala” victims who are now facing charges for illegal possession of ammunition.

Ople, who was in Cebu yesterday, said this issue on the “tanim-bala” has the same chilling effect with the balikbayan box controversy.

“I can see a similar phenomenon in this tanim-bala incidents wherein our OFWs continue to fear. The sooner the government resolve this, the better for everyone,” Ople said in an interview.

Ople expressed concern over possible human rights abuses taking place right at the country’s international airport terminals because of this alleged syndicated planting of bullets on unsuspecting passengers.

Ople, who heads the Blas F. Ople Policy Center (BOPC), cited 56-year-old OFW Gloria Ortinez who was interrogated by unidentified airport personnel without the presence of a lawyer on October 25.

In a meeting arranged by the BOPC between Ortinez and Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Atty. Gwen Pimentel-Gana, the OFW said she was not informed about her rights prior to questioning by airport personnel.

“According to Nanay Gloria, she was brought to a room and there were about seven people there including herself and the interrogators were telling her to admit to owning the bullet but she refused.

Gana, Ople said, had committed to bring the information shared by the beleaguered OFW to the attention of other CHR commissioners for appropriate action.

While the CHR is not involved in law enforcement, Gana stressed it can look into the human rights aspect of the case.

“It is appalling that these alleged human rights violations are going on inside our international airport,” Ople said.

Ople also announced that the beleaguered OFW is scheduled to leave for Hong Kong for the first time since her “tanim-bala” ordeal last October 25 to appeal directly to her foreign employer.

“Nanay Gloria is very scared to set foot in our airport. But she has no choice because if she stays here longer, the employer who is a single mom might also change her mind about taking her back,” she said.

Illegal  recruitment

Meanwhile, in order to avoid illegal recruitment, one must inquire first at proper agencies and exercise due diligence before parting their hard-earned money to the so-called recruiters, advised Ople.

“Some people fall as victims of illegal recruitment due to the lure of earning dollars fast and their due diligence flies out,” she said.

She said currently they are helping eight Cebuanos out of 30 Filipinos who are victims of illegal recruitment.

The victims were promised to work as accounting staff and office staff in Canada and Italy but their recruiters turned out to be bogus.

Each victim were purportedly made to pay P50,000 as processing fee, P5,000 for medical fee and P100,000 for processing of their citizenship.

Fortunately, Ople said three illegal recruiters were arrested and charges were already filed in court. The victims were assisted by the BOPC.

She urged those who plan to work abroad to check first the status of the recruitment agency before taking the bait of a faster and bigger salary abroad.

If elected, Ople said she will push for the creation of a Department of OFW.

With the Department of Labor and Employment already faced with local labor problems, Ople said the creation of such department would mainly focus on the needs and concerns of the OFWs.

Ople said she will also push for the passage of a law that will ban the age discrimination in the workplace.

“Kasi hindi dapat iyong age is the basis of employment. Dapat competence and ability of the job applicant should be the basis for hiring. We are all aging. It’s a natural process of life,” she said.

Ople will also push for a healthcare program as a humanitarian medical assistance for returning OFWs especially those with serious illness.

And lastly, she will push for the creation of a one-stop integrated center that will assist victims of human trafficking from the time of their recovery and re-integration to society.

Ople paid tribute to former Senator Ernesto Herrera during the other night’s necrological service for the labor leader held at Cosmopolitan Homes in Lahug, Cebu City.

She cited the late senator for his courage in fighting big-time drug syndicates despite a physical disability that would have made him an easy target for narco-traffickers.

“He was the first to expose “shabu” when it was still a habit enjoyed by the rich and powerful. It was his drug expose that led to the dismantling of shabu factories and a tougher anti-drugs law,” Ople said.

Ople added that the late labor leader should be credited for his authorship of the Migrant Workers’ Act of 1995, a law that mandates the government to come to the aid of distressed Filipinos overseas.

“Because of that law, millions of overseas workers are now better protected,” she further said. — (FREEMAN)