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Koko: Mending of ties with Kuwait urgent after Demafelis employers sentenced to death

April 2, 2018 | 12:52pm

Koko: Mending of ties with Kuwait urgent after Demafelis employers sentenced to death

In this Feb. 16, 2018 file photo, Jessica Demafelis, the sister of Joanna Demafelis who was found dead in a freezer in Kuwait, cries as the wooden casket of her remains arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. Lebanon's state-run news agency reported that a prosecutor has charged a 40-year-old Lebanese man, Nader Essam Assafa, in the death of Demafelis.

AP / Bullit Marquez, File

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III expressed hope that the relationship between the Philippines and Kuwait would normalize following the issuance of death sentence verdicts to the two suspects in the murder of Filipino domestic worker Joanna Demafelis.

Pimentel on Monday stressed that the mending of ties between the two nations is “urgent.”

“We see Kuwait as a partner. We benefit mutually from sending our overseas Filipino workers to Kuwait and it’s in the best interest of both countries to continue resolving matters relating to reported work abuses, repatriation, lack of documentation and other key issues affecting Filipino workers there,” he said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Monday confirmed that the Lebanese man and his Syrian wife were sentenced to death by the Kuwaiti court.

As he welcomed the reports of the conviction of the couple responsible for the death of Demafelis, Pimentel said that high-level talks and consultations with countries in the Middle East are needed to ensure the safety and welfare of migrant workers.

“Our focus should be protection of OFW rights and welfare, of course, balanced with the respect for local laws and traditions. It’s sometimes a delicate balancing act. That’s why we need constant engagement with the host state,” the Senate president said.

READ: Joanna Demafelis killers get death penalty

‘Swift justice’

Bello called the conviction of the employers of Demafelis “swift.”

This, he said, along with the signing of the memorandum of agreement on OFW labor conditions might prompt him to recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte the partial lifting of the total deployment ban.

Malacañang on Monday also welcomed the latest development on Demafelis’ case but maintained that the deployment ban to Kuwait still stands.

“The ban on sending OFWs to Kuwait is still on but of course an agreement, an MOU is being formulated and hopefully, the state parties will come to terms as to how OFWs in Kuwait and other Middle Eastern countries will be protected,” senior deputy executive secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

Duterte earlier banned the deployment of new migrant workers to the Gulf nation and ordered the repatriation of distressed OFWs thereafter the body of Demafelis was discovered inside a freezer in her employer’s home in Kuwait.

Around 250,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait.

READ: Duterte adds provisions on draft deal with Kuwait to protect OFWs