Alleged Kuwaiti IS leader’s wife to be deported — BI

MANILA, Philippines - Following the deportation of suspected Islamic State (IS) leader Kuwaiti Husayn al-Dhafiri, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the deportation of his wife, Syrian Rahaf Zina, “would soon follow.”

BI spokesperson Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, however, did not say if a deportation order had already been issued for Zina.

Officials said Zina is the widow of top IS commander Abu Jandal al Kuwaiti who was killed during an airstrike in Syria last year.

Al-Dhafiri, on the other hand, is a ranking IS operative in Syria and is also known as Warsh al-Kuwaiti and Abu Muslim al-Kuwaiti.

Last Tuesday, the BI board of commissioners signed the summary deportation order against al-Dhafiri for being “a risk to public interest” or being an undesirable alien.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Eric Balmes said al-Dhafiri was deported to Kuwait on Good Friday, April 14. 

Al-Dhafiri’s deportation process was hastened after the Kuwaiti government had cancelled his passport. 

Al-Dhafiri has a working visa in the country which was facilitated by recruitment agency Q8 Solutions.

With his passport cancelled, al-Dhafiri would be considered an undocumented alien and his working visa would be revoked.

On March 23, the Office of the Legal Attaché of the US embassy informed the BI that al-Dhafiri has links to terrorism and might pose a threat to the national security of the Philippines. 

Philippine officials also said al-Dhafiri was allegedly involved in explosives manufacturing and planning a terror attack against his home country Kuwait.

Local recruitment officials also claimed Q8 Solutions that facilitated the entry of al-Dhafiri into the country was illegally collecting fees from migrant workers wishing to go to Kuwait.

Kuwait-bound OFWs are required to undergo medical screening at a clinic accredited by Q8, which submits the medical results to the Kuwait embassy.

The Department of Health (DOH) has padlocked eight medical clinics linked to Q8, including Abakkus Medical Diagnostic Services, with address at 38 Calatagan St., Palanan, Makati City.

The seven others are all based on Malate, Manila: Agoncillo Medical Clinic, 1721 F. Agoncillo St.; Ruben Bartolome Clinic, Bartolome Tower, 878 Nakpil St.; Global Medical Clinic, 1800 A. Mabini St.; Orion Medical and Diagnostic Center, 1956 P. Hidalgo St.; Our Health Medical and Diagnostic Center, 801 United Nations Ave.; Our Lady of All Nations Laboratory, 463 Remedios St.; and San Marcelino Medical Clinic, 2118 Leon Guinto St.

Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III of party-list group Acts-OFW has initiated a congressional investigation into what he described as illegal collections from migrant workers of Q8 Solutions.

Bertiz said Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial has asked Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in a letter “to refrain from sending migrant workers for pre-employment medical examinations to the eight clinics effective immediately.”

“We shall be coordinating with our office on the possible impact of suspension of medical examinations for workers bound for Kuwait,” Ubial said.

Bertiz said al-Dhafiri collects P9,000 from each job applicant, who has to pay an additional P2,200 to the medical clinic Winston Q8 refers him to.

He estimated that the terrorist suspect’s firm collected P100 million a month, or a total of at least P700 million since it started its certification business in September last year.

“Where is that huge amount of money now? Did al-Dhafiri remit it to IS or is he using it for his activities and those of his cohorts here? I think that should be part of the investigation of the authorities,” Bertiz said. – With  Jess Diaz