Filipina caregiver found dead in Jordan; co-worker's son arrested

A Filipina who had been working in Jordan as a caregiver was found dead in the basement of her workplace, according to a Saksi report by CJ Torrida on Friday.

Mary Grace Santos reportedly went missing on October 11, and a day later was found dead inside a closet in her employer’s basement after her family reported her disappearance to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

According to the police report, the victim was raped and strangled. Her co-worker's son, a minor, is the main suspect.

“Anak daw po ng hardinero ng boss ng ate ko. Kaya nandun po siya, hindi daw po pumasok ang tatay niya kaya siya daw po ang substitute,” the victim’s sister, Veronica Santos, said.

(He is the son of the gardener of my sister’s boss. He was there because his father didn’t go to work, so he was the substitute.)

Santos had been working as a caregiver abroad for eight years to support her two children, one of whom has congenital heart disease.

The government said that they will provide aid to her family.

“Ang kapitolyo [ay] meron pong mga plano para tulungan sila, not only for this moment of grief. Meron pa po yan sa mga bata… yung dalawang batang nag-aaral pa,” said Pampanga PESO (Public Employment Service Office) Manager Luningning Verger.

(The capitol has plans to help them, not only for this moment of grief. There’s something for the children… the two children who are still studying.)

The victim's colleagues in Jordan informed the Santos family that the suspect has been arrested.

“Ang ano po niya is parang bibitayin po, pero since minor maghihintay pa po ng two years,” Veronica said.

(What will happen is that he will be executed, but since he is still a minor we’ll have to wait two more years.)

“Wala siyang puso sa ginawa niya sa ate ko, and kung bibitayin siya is parang hindi pa sapat ang isang bitay, limang bitay…” she added.

(He’s heartless with what he did to my sister, and if he is executed it would not be enough to do it once. He deserves it five times.)

OWWA said that the victim’s body is set to return to the country by Saturday. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News