DOLE: Deployment ban in Saudi Arabia possible due to OFW rape incidents

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III warned that President Rodrigo Duterte might consider a deployment ban in Saudi Arabia if justice is not given to the two Filipina maids who were raped by their respective employers.

In a report by JP Soriano on GMA News “24 Oras” on Wednesday, it was said that on June 17, the OFW who hid under the name “Rose” asked for rescue because her boss allegedly abused her.

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Rose was immediately rescued and returned to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the employers also allegedly abused the OFW, who hid under the name “Michelle.”

“She was sexually abused, meaning raped by her former employer, who is a policeman, and ‘yong present employer niya. She is now pregnant for 2 months,” said Bello.

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Michelle has also returned to the country.

Bello ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to suspend Michele’s foreign and local recruitment agency while the investigation is conducted.

“If we don’t get justice for our OFWs, the president may again consider declaring a ban to Saudi Arabia,” the secretary said.

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DOLE: Deployment ban in Saudi Arabia possible due to OFW rape incidents

Last June, Duterte wrote to the King of Saudi Arabia to ask to implement reforms regarding the welfare of OFWs, such as the removal of the sponsorship system.

Saudi Arabia said it was open to renegotiating the memorandum of agreement for labor reform initiatives.

Meanwhile, an OFW in Alkhobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is in critical condition after he was hit by a vehicle last June 30.

In an exclusive interview with GMA News, Mrs. Ana Cristina Flores, mother of the injured OFW Carlo Miguel Flores, said they received a call from her son’s co-worker to inform her of what happened.

She said her son would work on his bicycle when he was hit by a car, said Mrs. Flores.

She said they could not get any other information on her son’s condition other than what the contact told them from KSA and let them know that his son was brain dead.

But Mrs. Flores was surprised when the next call from Saudi Arabia has asked her if they could donate her son’s internal organs in exchange for P50,000.

OWWA said they would immediately contact the employer of the injured OFW.

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