OFW beaten, starved in Kuwait rescued from employer

An abused Filipina domestic helper was rescued by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Kuwait, GMA News' JP Soriano reported no 24 Oras on Thursday.

The OFW was rescued after her aunt in the Philippines, Jane Continente, reported the abuse to OWWA.

"Namaga 'yung mata niya tapos nung nalaman na nagkokontak [siya] sa magulang, binabatukan at tsaka sinusuntok na sa katawan, tapos hindi nga sila pinapakain. Isang beses lang sa isang araw. Tapos pina-padlock sila sa bahay," Continente said.

Continente said her niece left for Kuwait to work as a domestic helper in March last year.

"Mag-trabaho ka na ibinigay mo 'yung buong puso mo yung pagtatrabaho mo, tapos makaranas ka pa ng pang-mamaltrato, parang pinaka-mahirap yata na maranasan mo yun," she said.

OWWA was able to trace Continente's niece immediately and rescue her from her male employer, who the OFW claimed had also beaten his wife.

"Kung siya ay nasagip, dadalhin kaagad siya kaagad sa ospital," OWWA Admininstrator Hans Leo Cacdac said. "Maaring nagtatapang-tapangan lang 'yan, pero matindi na yung pagpaparandam natin na binabantayan natin siya."

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he is mulling about stopping the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait due to the reported abuses.

Earlier this week, OWWA rescued another OFW, Victoria Perdagorda, after she was nearly beaten to death with a metal object by her Jordanian employer.

Perdagorda had to undergo an MRI to asses the severity of the injuries she suffered from repeated beatings and may have to go under the knife to fix her jaw.

OWWA shouldered her medical expenses while the National Bureau of Investigation inspected her to gather medicolegal records for use in the case against her employer.

"Tutuloy ko 'yun hangga't sa anumang resulta," Perdagorda said.

Cacdac said they will coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to launch an investigation after the OFW recovers from her injuries.

The DFA has a P1 billion legal assistance fund for OFWs in need of legal assistance abroad. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News