MANILA: Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will testify in an investigation into sex exploitation and prostitution rings allegedly ran by labour officials in the Middle East.
A distressed OFW victim, who surfaced on Thursday, identified as “Michelle,” said she is ready to testify not only to get justice but also to help prevent other OFWs from falling victim to sexual abuse by officials.
On Thursday, Michelle revealed that she received “indecent proposals” from her labour officers in Riyadh in exchange for her speedy repatriation.
She initially feared backlash from officials if she filed a complaint.
Another OFW, identified as “Analisa,” also came out in the open and claimed that an employee of the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) in Saudi Arabia was involved in an alleged attempt to prostitute her in exchange for a ticket back home. The alleged victims surfaced after Akbayan party-list Representative Walden Bello accused three labour officials in the Middle East for being involved in the “sex-for-fly” scheme.
Bello accused Mario Antonio, Assistant Labour Attaché in Amman, of prostituting female OFWs who have problems with their work and employers.
He also tagged a certain ‘Kim’ from Damascus and a Blas Marquez from the POLO in Kuwait.
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have launched separate investigations and called on victims to come out and file complaints before authorities.
DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she is “resolved” to get into the bottom of the issue whether or not the allegations are malicious or true.
The Philippine star
