Case of OFW genital mutilation false —DFA

The viral video showing a visibly distraught Filipina who was supposedly subjected to genital mutilation by her employer in Bahrain was found to be untrue, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

Because of this, the DFA appealed to Filipinos living and working abroad to avoid posting unverified information on social media.

"While we appreciate the concern extended by our kababayan abroad about this particular case, we should also be careful about posting something of this kind on social media without first checking its veracity," DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said.

Ambassador to Manama Alfonso Ver said doctors in the Philippines examined the Filipina in the video and found that she "had no indications whatsoever of genital mutilation."

Ver said DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano ordered that the woman, who was already in the Philippines when the video went viral, be located and brought to a hospital to verify the information on the video.

Though the woman did not show signs of genital mutilation, the medical examination on her revealed signs of physical abuse and post traumatic stress disorder, Ver said.

For her part, Arriola said posting unverified information about OFWs on social media could strain the relationship between the Philippines and the host country.

"We have to protect the interests of our kababayan victim and at the same time make sure we do not unnecessarily strain our relations with the host state," she said in cautioning against the sharing of unverified information of very sensitive nature, particularly in the Middle East where there are very strict defamation laws.

"Every complaint is taken seriously and is investigated. It does not need to go viral in social media," she added.

Ver said the DFA will provide for the continuous medical care of the victim who remains confined at the hospital. The DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affairs will also provide her family with financial assistance.

Ver said the embassy has also learned that the victim was underpaid by her employer — instead of BD150.00, the victim was only being paid BD90.00 monthly.

The embassy has already contacted officials of the Labor Market Regulatory Authority who promised to cooperate in the investigation, Ver said as he gave assurances that the embassy will address the victim's other concerns. —KBK, GMA News