OFW missing for months found bruised, scorched with boiling oil by employers

The parents of a teacher-turned-domestic helper is calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to seek justice for their daughter, who was beat up and scorched with boiling oil and a hot pot by her employers in Malaysia.

Joramie Garcia Torres was missing for months before her family in the Philippines learned she was physically abused by her employers, according to an exclusive report by Jay Sabale on Unang Balita on Friday.

Her employers had been caught by police but are now out on bail.

Bruised, burned and flayed, Torres was found by a Filipino couple in an abandoned lot, according to Raccie Torres, Joramie’s brother. The couple’s contact to the Torres family on September 1 was the first time any of them have heard from Joramie since February.

With assistance from an employment agency, the former teacher left for Ipoh Perak, Malaysia in December last year, but fled to a sister agency before a month had passed after an alleged rape attempt by her original employer.

However, the owner of the placement agency that deployed Joramie denied that there was a rape attempt by the first employer. She also said Joramie did not flee to a sister agency.

But according to the OFW's kin, the sister agency then referred her to a new employer, an oil refinery finance manager, Joramie’s family said.

They had not heard from her until September 1, apart from a call on February 1, where a weary-sounding Joramie told them, “Mag-iingat daw kami rito, mahal na mahal niya kami,” Raccie said.

On September 1, the family learned Joramie, wounded, fled her abusive employers on foot until she collapsed in an abandoned lot that was formerly a septic tank. The Filipino couple who found her thought Joramie was an undocumented OFW and brought her to a church in a sack, Raccie said.

When the family was finally able to make contact with Joramie, they heard her say “Nahirapan ako dito, ‘Tay, inano nila ako. 'Wag kang mag-alala, 'Tay, ilalaban ko 'to. Mahal na mahal ko kayo. Sinaktan nila ako rito, pero lalaban ako, itutuloy ko ang pagkaso,” said her father Ramon.

The family will also file charges against the yet unnamed employment agency, which according to them alleged that perhaps Joramie planned to escape.

Joramie’s mother Josephine lamented her daughter’s condition, saying, “Teacher ang anak ko rito, tapos makikita kong ganyan na lang ang ginawa nila, eh nagbabakasakali lang naman siyang makatulong sa amin.”

Further hearing for Joramie’s case is set for next month. —Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/KG/KBK, GMA News