Gov't blunder shatters dreams of OFW mistaken for a fugitive

Jason Aguilar kept on scratching his ear when interviewed at his family’s home in Calumpit, Bulacan, apparently discomfited by the limelight he was suddenly thrust into. For a month he worked overseas, hoping to earn more for his family, only to be deported simply because his name is “almost the same" with that of a criminal suspect on the run. After languishing for seven days in a Qatar jail without getting any explanation about his arrest, it was only upon his arrival in Manila on New Year’s eve that Aguilar, who worked as a welder in Doha, learned the rueful truth. “Nagulat na lang ako nung maraming media sa airport, maraming nag-iinterview. Yun nga, meron daw po pala akong kaparehas ng pangalan na nakapatay," Aguilar said in an interview over GMA’s 24 Oras. (I was surprised to see so many reporters interviewing me at the airport. It turns out my name is similar to that of another person who killed someone.)
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Aguilar was referring to murder suspect Jason Aguilar Ivler, who is now the subject of a global manhunt for the shooting of 27-year-old Renato Ebarle Jr., son of Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr. [See: OFW mistaken for slay suspect Jason Ivler brought back to RP] Shattered dreams “Yung mga pangarap sana na aabutin ko, nasira ng isang pagkakamali," said Aguilar, who appeared traumatized by the ordeal he went through as he said that for now, he has no plans of looking for another job abroad. The Special Action Unit of the National Bureau of Investigation earlier admitted that Aguilar fell victim to a case of mistaken identity when he was nabbed in Doha. The agency said, however, that the overseas worker still had to be deported to further confirm his identity. Aguilar’s and Ivler’s fingerprints were “almost the same", according to the NBI, and they are almost of the same age, 26 and 29, respectively. Nevertheless, the dark-skinned Aguilar’s physical features do not match Ivler’s. In another television interview, Aguilar described the fear he felt for being jailed for something he was not aware he did. “Lagi akong lakad ng lakad sa kulungan. Iniisip ko kung ano’ng kasalanan ko. Tapos lagi akong kinakabahan tuwing may darating na pulis. Kasi nga hindi ko alam kung ano’ng gagawin sa akin," he said. (I was always pacing inside my jail cell, wondering what wrong I had done. Then I’d always get struck with fear whenever the police would visit, since I didn’t really know what they would do to me.) “Nagkandautang-utang ang pamilya ko para lang makapagtrabaho ako roon (My family fell into deep debt just so I could work abroad)," added Aguilar, who is the youngest in the family. Aguilar is now reunited with his family, but their future seems bleak, since he has been blacklisted from employment in Qatar and his work visa has been cancelled, apart from his trauma of being treated like a criminal. "Hindi ko po alam kung ano ang mangyayari ngayon (I don’t know what to do now)," he told dzBB news anchor Mike Enriquez in an interview. The Blas F. Ople Policy Center also disclosed that Aguilar was charged by his recruitment agency, Multisystem Connexions International Inc., a placement fee of $500 (P22,888) apart from his first month’s salary which also went to the agency. No one is owning up to the blooper Pertinent government agencies, meanwhile, have distanced themselves from the mistaken-identity blooper. The NBI, for its part, said it was not them but the Doha authorities who arranged Aguilar’s deportation. Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Crescente Relacion, on the other hand, said in an interview over ANC that Qatar officials would not have deported Aguilar without information from the International Police Organization (Interpol). “We will ask (Qatar officials) what really transpired," Relacion explained as he refused to confirm whether a formal apology would be asked from the Qatar government. Relacion, however, promised that the embassy would request the removal of Aguilar’s name from the employee blacklist as soon as they receive documentation from the Interpol clearing the worker’s name. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has also said it would assist Aguilar should he decide to work abroad anew. In the meantime, POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili believes it is important for Aguilar to undergo psychosocial counseling and stress debriefing sessions, during which possible livelihood assistance could also be arranged for him to still earn a living. A financial grant could also be given him by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to erase the debts he incurred in processing his overseas employment, Manalili added. “Biktima talaga siya ng mga pangyayari (Aguilar was really a victim of circumstances)," she said. – JV, GMANews.TV