MANILA, Philippines – Pinabulaanan ng isang labor official na mayroon siyang pinapatakbong sex ring na nagbubugaw umano ng mga babaeng distressed overseas Filipino workers sa Middle East.
Itinanggi ni Mario Antonio, assistant labor attaché sa Amman, Jordan, ang akusasyon ni Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello na ibinubugaw niya ang mga babaeng OFW na may problema sa kanilang trabaho at employer.
"Nakakagulat po 'yung ganyang paratang dahil hindi po 'yun mangyayari sa Jordan... Siguro 'yan ay bunga po ng mga nasasagasaang ahensya na pinipilit makuha 'yung workers natin dun na humihingi ng tulong para sila ay tugunan," pahayag ni Antonio sa isang panayam sa radyo ngayong Miyerkules.
"Gagawa sila (recruitment agencies) ng paraan para siraan 'yun pong tulad naming nanunungkulan sa Jordan," dagdag ni Antonio.
Kahapon ay inakusahan ni Bello si Antonio binubugaw nito ang ilang OFW sa mayayamang Palestino.
"Witnesses claim that he charges a John as much as $1,000 a night for the services of one OFW. He is, in effect, running a prostitution ring, using distressed OFWs. This man's activities are so disreputable and illegal that the government of Jordan has requested that he be removed," sabi ni Bello, na siyang chairman ng House committee on overseas workers' affairs.
Inakusahan pa ni Bello ang isang Kim mula sa Damascus, Syria dahil sa umano’y “intimate†na relasyon niya sa apat na OFW.
Iitnuro rin ni Bello ang isang Blas Marquez mula sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office sa Kuwait sa umano’y kinalaman niya sa “sex-for-hire†na negosyo sa Filipino Workers' Resource Center.
Pinaiimbestigahan na ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ang umano’y kalakaran sa Middle East.
“I am resolved to get into the bottom of any accusation of wrongdoing against our people to uphold their credibility and integrity, whether or not the allegations are malicious or with basis,†pahayag ni Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.
“The DOLE does not condone any inappropriate act of any of its official and personnel, most especially if it involves the performance of their official duties," dagdag ni Baldoz.
Sinigurado naman ng Palasyo na iimbestigahan ito ng Department of Foreign Affairs.
“To this date, we have not received any formal complaint from the alleged victims which is why we are encouraging those with information or those who have been victimized by these alleged practices to come forward and to file complaints because the DFA is more than willing to act on them,†sabi ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.