Homebound Saudi Arabia OFW found dead, stabbed through the neck

Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Reandro Molino was supposed to return home but before he could even reunite with his family, he was found stabbed and dead in his hotel room in Haradh, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

In JP Soriano's Tuesday "24 Oras" report, Molino's wife Susan narrated her online exchanges with her husband before his death.

Last May, Susan said Reandro told her that he was feeling weak and felt like he had flu after getting a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Reandro immediately secured a vaccine so that he can go back to the Philippines and make plans with his family.

On May 18 in the afternoon, Susan said her husband told her that "he has a problem" without giving further details.

On the same day, Reandro's manager called up Susan to inform her that her husband was found lifeless, having been stabbed in the neck.

"He told me that my husband's body was covered in blood, and he had been stabbed in the neck with a knife. His message saying, 'Please wait' had a different tone for me," a weeping Susan said, in a mix of Filipino and English.

"I was really surprised because he had made plans. Our children will celebrate their birthdays soon," she added.

Meanwhile, Molino's sister Melchi Montecarlos said there was a possibility that someone planned her brother's death.

Susan echoed this, saying: "Their initial report was unclear. Reandro can't do that to himself."

According to Reandro's family, Reandro did not have enemies in his job. He was also the best safety technician at Total Safety, a firm based in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, as he continued working despite the pandemic.

With this, Susan appealed for President Rodrigo Duterte's help to get justice for her husband's death.

"Mr. President, we need your help because it is difficult to reach out to agencies, they are not answering our concerns," said Susan, in Filipino.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto said an embassy case officer was coordinating with Saudi Arabia police and Reandro's employer to bring the victim's remains home.

In a recent statement shared by Soriano on Twitter, the embassy said it is still waiting for the finalized version of police report to determine Reandro's cause of death.

Filipinos in Saudi Arabia were also urged to "refrain from speculating and making conclusions" into Reandro's death as the matter was still being investigated by the police.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) meanwhile said that they were awaiting the results of the investigation of Saudi authorities before arranging for Reandro's return.

OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said that Reandro's family would be provided death, livelihood, and scholarship benefits. — Consuelo Marquez/DVM, GMA News