Kapuso comedian Super Tekla seeks probe on OFW sister’s death

Kapuso comedian Tekla (real name Romeo Librada) is appealing to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait to help investigate the death of his sister, an OFW working in the Middle Eastern country.

"Sana po matulungan tayo ng Embassy na masilip po ang kaso ng kapatid ko para malaman po namin kung siya po ay pinatay o nagpakamatay," Librada said in a heartfelt video on Facebook.

Librada said his sister was abused while working in Kuwait. He hoped the Embassy and the Philippine government will help shed light on the incident, which he said is common to families of OFWs.

"Ngayon po, kung siya naman po talaga ay nagpakamatay, tatanggapin po namin 'yan, pero please, kailangan po namin na matulungan kami ng ating Embassy at ng ating gobyerno para matingnan at mabigyan ng agarang aksyon ang pagkamatay ng kapatid ko sa Kuwait," Librada said.

He said he is hoping that the Embassy will probe his sister's case and that of other abused OFWs to prevent further deaths or cases where deaths are made to look like suicides.

"Matatanggap po namin kung talagang nagpakamatay siya. Wala naman po kaming magawa. Pero ho, sakali hong bigyan kami ng pagkakataon na masilip po ang sitwasyon po ng kapatid ko diyan sa Kuwait para po ma-prevent pa natin kung saka-sakaling may mga insidente pang mangyayari ulit sa mga kababayan natin na nag-iibang-bansa na inaabuso tapos pinapalabas nila na nagpakamatay."

Librada, who is currently in Canada, enjoined his audience to share the video to heighten awareness on the continued abuse of OFWs.

Contacted by GMA News Online, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait will help in the investigation. He did not elaborate. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News