Palace: No plans to bring reports on OFW harassment in Taiwan to int'l body

The Philippine government has no plans yet to bring reports on harassments on some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan to an international body, a spokesperson of President Benigno Aquino III said Monday.

 

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Philippine government is banking on pronouncements from Taiwanese leaders that they will provide security to OFWs who are reportedly receiving the brunt of the outrage over the death of a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters earlier this month.

 

"They have already manifested their intent to do so. We hope that with the move, we hope that these incidents will not be repeated again," Valte said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon.

 

She added that although the government has already confirmed two incidents of violence against OFWs in Taiwan, the focus right now is "to lend the assistance necessary" to these migrant workers.

 

Valte, however, said the government cannot stop any private individual if he or she wants to seek the help of an international body to deal with these reported incidents of violence against OFWs.

 

On Sunday, the Philippines advised OFWs in Taiwan to stay inside their homes and workplaces amid reports of harassment on some Filipinos in the area due to the fatal shooting of a 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman earlier this month. 

 

On May 9, authorities from the Philippine Coast Guard shot fisherman Hung Shih-cheng when the Taiwanese vessel he was riding allegedly tried to ram their ship in disputed waters off the coast of Batanes in extreme northern Luzon. 

 

The incident has also caused a diplomatic row between the Philippines and Taiwan, with Taipei freezing the hiring of Filipino workers and discouraging Taiwanese from travel to the Philippines despite repeated apologies from Filipino authorities. 
 

According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there were over 93,800 Filipinos working in Taiwan as of December 2011. —KG, GMA News