MANILA: The Senate probe on the alleged sex-for-flight scam started yesterday with a distressed overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia accusing a labour official’s driver of attempted rape.
During the joint hearing of the Senate blue ribbon and labour committees, Grace Sales complained that the driver of Riyadh labour attaché Adam Musa tried to sexually abuse her in August 2012.
Sales was a janitress at Musa’s office, where the driver, known as Jojo, allegedly tried to harass her for about 20 minutes.
Sales said she tried to seek help from the Philippine Embassy, but Musa’s staff had encouraged her to keep mum in exchange for 10,000 riyal and an authorisation — as she was an undocumented OFW.
Musa’s staff also assured her that Jojo will be removed as soon as possible, but according to Josie, his contract was renewed instead.
The labour official said the driver was suspended and resigned eventually. He acknowledged that there was a misunderstanding between Sales and Jojo. He said an internal investigation was conducted but he was unable to contact Sales. The probe was also no longer pursued after the settlement between the OFW and his driver.
Senator Juan Ponce Enrile criticised Musa for his alleged inaction on the issue.
“You are deployed as an employee of government to protect these people. Why did you not find out what’s this problem settled by three months salary of your driver? Why did the driver settle anything?” Enrile asked Musa. The Philippine star
