Pinay nurse raped in Libya

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipina nurse was kidnapped and raped in Tripoli, Libya on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday.

“We can confirm that reported abduction and rape of Filipina nurse took place,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.

He said the Filipina was seized Wednesday morning in front of her residence by four Libyan young men and taken somewhere.

“Two hours later she was released after allegedly being raped by six Libyan youth,” Jose said. “She is now under the care of the embassy.”

Reports quoting the health ministry spokesman of Tripoli said the Filipina was seized as she was on her way to work, and was released hours later after suffering an unspecified “aggression.”

The spokesman said that following the incident, Filipino medical personnel had left hospitals in Tripoli to await evacuation.

The ministry added the incident could push the Philippines to speed up the evacuation of its citizens, 3,000 of whom work in Libya as doctors and nurses, as the country sinks further into chaos.

Immediate repatriation

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said embassy and labor officials in Libya are working for the immediate repatriation of the Filipina nurse.

“We have yet to confirm if she was raped, but what is important is that she is now safe and her repatriation is being arranged,” she said.

She said the victim was deployed to Tripoli in 2010, and was processed as Balik Manggagawa in 2013.

Baldoz said the victim would be repatriated along with other nurses of Tripoli Medical Center, which has allowed all Filipina nurses to leave Libya because of the hostilities there.

She said she ordered the deployment of additional labor officers to Libya to help in the repatriation.

“Additional team of labor officers will leave for Libya and Tunisia at the earliest by weekend,” she said, adding another team will fly to Malta to join the Rapid Response Team.

Del Rosario in Tunisia

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario left yesterday for Tunisia to oversee the mandatory repatriation plan for Filipinos in Libya.

“I’m going to Djerba to check how mandatory repatriation plans are coming along,” he said in a text message to reporters.

As in 2011, Del Rosario said the government is again faced with the challenge of convincing OFWs to leave Libya at the soonest possible time.

He flew to Libya in February 2011, and traveled by land with former DFA undersecretary for migrant workers affairs Esteban Conejos Jr., former ambassador to Libya Alejandrino Vicente and a driver to Tripoli. They helped about 400 OFWs get out of Libyan territory in a convoy of 55 vans and buses to the Tunisian border.

Chartered vessel

Baldoz said the team of labor officers in Malta would negotiate for a chartered vessel that will be used for the mass repatriation of Filipino workers from Libya.

“We have to consider the cost, so we have two options, one is to charter one big ship that could accommodate a thousand OFWs or two ships that could ferry 500 OFWs each,” she said.

Baldoz said from Libya, the OFWs would board the ship to Malta where they will be flown to Manila.

Baldoz said Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) would shoulder the cost of the vessel that will ferry the OFWs from Libya to Malta.

“The understanding is that OWWA will handle the cost of the chartered ship, but the government will later on refund the repatriation cost of the undocumented OFWs,” she said.

No exit visas

The labor chief said they expect faster and easier repatriation of the remaining OFWs from Libya since there is no more need for exit visas.

She said the Libyan Ministry of Labor has given the authority to bring OFWs out of Libya even without exit visas as the situation there further deteriorates.

“This means that Filipino workers who wish to avail of the mandatory repatriation need not beg with their employers to allow them to leave Libya,” Baldoz said.

She said they still do not have the exact number of OFWs who will be availing of the mass repatriation.  – With Mayen Jaymalin