OFWs start surfacing, want sex trade to stop

MANILA, Philippines - A distressed Filipina worker in Saudi Arabia who claimed to have been sexually abused and pimped to foreigners by a Philippine embassy official while waiting to be repatriated has surfaced to shed light on the matter and help prevent more workers from suffering the same fate.

Identified only as “Michelle,” the former overseas worker said she decided to come out in the open so she could help bring about change in the system.

“We don’t want more victims here,” she said in Filipino in an interview with radio dzMM.

Michelle said she is ready to share more information with an investigating team created by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to look into the alleged involvement of labor attachés and other officials of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in a prostitution ring victimizing troubled Filipina workers.

Michelle’s case was separate from but similar to the one exposed by Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello. The incident exposed by Bello reportedly took place in Jordan.

Former assistant labor attaché in Jordan Mario Antonio, who was being alluded to in Bello’s exposé, surfaced on Thursday to deny the allegation of “sex-for-repatriation” in his turf.

While awaiting repatriation to the Philippines, Michelle said a labor official assigned with POLO in Riyadh tried to have sex with her but she was able to escape. She said the same labor official offered her to an Egyptian national who took pity on her and bought a plane ticket for her return home.

“We just want help, we’re willing to testify. We want protection, and to be able to work again abroad without worries,” she said in Filipino.

Trying to move on with her life after her ordeal, Michelle said she would appreciate livelihood and other assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said Michelle approached her agency for “assistance for their reintegration, self employment, livelihood assistance as well as scholarship for her children.”

Dimzon said she also referred Michelle to the investigating panel.

Aside from Michelle, another Filipino worker identified only as “Analisa” also expressed her intention to testify against a labor official in Saudi Arabia.

Labor officials said they have yet to hear directly from Michelle.

Labor Undersecretary Danilo Cruz said the alleged victims of sexual abuse appeared to be reluctant to testify and file formal complaints despite assurances from government that they would be given protection. Another labor official who declined to be named said they are trying hard to convince Michelle and the others to come out in the open and testify.