Group says raped OFW forced to do a retraction

MANILA, Philippines - An advocacy group for overseas Filipino workers claimed that the Filipina domestic helper in Saudi Arabia who was allegedly videotaped while being raped was forced to retract her statements about the incident. Migrante-Middle East said the woman was asked to sign a retraction letter written in Arabic so that she could immediately go back home. It was earlier reported that the alleged victim, an Ifugao from Quirino province, was raped by her employer and four other men, one of whom reportedly videotaped the act. The group said that according to the woman's husband, his wife was confused and helpless when she was made to sign the letter. The husband reportedly told Migrante's chapter in Baguio City that his wife denied that she repudiated her statements against her employer and his friends. "We suspect that this is the retraction paper that the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) was referring to, that was posted on its Web site," said John Leonard Monterona, the group’s regional coordinator. "Please note that the victim signed the paper under duress so that she can be sent home without delay. And by immediately sending her home, filling of an appropriate case against the alleged perpetrators would not be possible now," he added. Migrante International, the group’s umbrella organization, first broke the news about the Filipina. Sen Loren Legarda revealed the plight of the alleged rape victim in her May 26 privilege speech. Legarda filed a resolution urging the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment to conduct an inquiry on the incident. After Legarda filed the resolution, the DFA said the Filipina returned to the country after writing a retraction. The Filipina reportedly asserted that her allegations were fabricated and mere products of her "imagination." She arrived in Manila last May 28. ’Acting in good faith’ Migrante-Middle East earlier sent an e-mail to GMANews.TV on May 23 about the incident. According to the letter, the victim’s husband sought Migrante’s help after receiving a call from his wife who told her about the incident. "We have just acted in good faith to render assistance to the victim by sending a letter to Philippine Ambassador Antonio Villamor [on May 21] urging the embassy official to save her from imminent danger under the custody of her abusive employer," Monterona said. According to Monterona, the group did not receive any reply from the Philippine Embassy until the news broke out. "When news has landed in Philippine media, on the afternoon of May 26, I have received a call on my mobile phone from a certain person who introduced himself to be Ambassador Villamor. I have a good discussion over him and have had pleasant exchanges on how to be working together for protecting the rights and welfare of fellow OFWs in the host country," Monterona recalled. "The night of the same date, I have received again two separate but succeeding calls on my mobile phone from two persons who introduced themselves as working with a local newspaper based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They were asking me about the news statements we have been [issuing] regarding the worsening plights of fellow OFWs in the Middle East. But both were trying to implicitly defend the Philippine Embassy’s inefficiency and neglect to attending cases of abuses, harassment, and other labor-related cases," he added. Threats Monterona revealed that he received threats to his life after exposing the Filipina’s plight. "On June 1, 2008, I have received again two simultaneous calls from unknown callers telling me to stop issuing statements and exposing issues of OFWs," said Monterona, adding that the callers could easily locate and harm him. Despite this, Monterona said his group would not be affected by the threats, and would continue to be the watchdog of Filipino workers around the world. "We are not cowed by such calls. Migrante will continue its service to OFWs as their rights and welfare watchdog, especially for the victims of abuses and maltreatment," Monterona said. - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV