OFW’s remains to arrive on Monday

CEBU, Philippines - The body of Cebuana overseas Filipino worker Lotis Camocamo, who died in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will arrive in Cebu this Monday afternoon.

This was confirmed by Camocamo’s aunt, Norma Baron, who went to the Capitol yesterday to thank Governor Hilario Davide III and all other officials who helped in the repatriation of the OFW’s remains and in shouldering the expenses “up to the last centavo.”

Baron said the Capitol immediately acted on their plea and assured them further assistance.

Aside from Davide, Baron said they would want to thank Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, Toledo City Vice Mayor Antonio Yapha, Jr., and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) staff for assisting them.

Baron said after the incident was reported in the media, they received immediate response from concerned agencies offering to facilitate the repatriation of Camocamo’s body.

She said the body of Camocamo will be sent to Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes for forensic examination before it will be brought back home to Barangay Mainggit, Toledo City.

She added that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will also be sending a forensic expert to examine the body to determine any foul play in her death.

Further, senatorial candidate and Overseas Filipino Workers’ rights advocate, Susan “Toots” Ople, said that she’s happy to fulfill her promise to Camocamo’s family to have the OFW’s body sent to Cebu.

Ople, who manages the Blas F. Ople Policy Center that helps OFWs, said that Camocamo’s remains will arrive in Manila and she will accompany it to Mactan Cebu International Airport and to Barangay Sto. Niño, Toledo City.

Ople said the case of Camocamo was handled by the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, a non-profit organization, in partnership with an NGO in Saudi Arabia known as the Patnubay as well as John Bertiz, the owner of Global Asia Alliance Consultancy, Inc.

Ople claims she became aware of the case when the daughter of Lotis sent a private message to her Facebook account.

“I am happy that there is a collective effort to help the bereaved family. I view my modest role in the return of Lotis Camocamo to her family’s loving arms as a fulfillment of a promise made to her daughter. May we continue to extend our sincere sympathies to the family,” said Ople in a statement sent to The Freeman.  — Brenda D. Batuto, Michael Vencynth H. Braga and Gregg M. Rubio/ATO