Body of murdered OFW arrives

HOME at last, but sadly in a box. The remains of 39-year-old Rex Parreno arrived on Thursday after almost six weeks of agonizing wait.

A welder on his fourth year in Dubai, Parreno was murdered by a fellow Filipino last May 24.

Parreno, a native of San Rafael, Iloilo, is survived by his wife, May, 41, and five children. May has worked tirelessly to bring her husband back home as she pleaded for the government’s assistance.

“Salamat sa Diyos kay ginpamatian niya ang pangamuyo namon. Nakapuli na gid man ang bana ko bisan pa nga wala na siya sang kabuhi (Thank you Lord for granting our prayers. My husband is finally home even if he is already dead),” May said in an interview.

“Salamat man sa bulig sang taga-DFA kay kung wala sa ila indi ko gid masarangan ang pagpapuli sa bana ko. (Thank you also to the DFA, because without them I wouldn’t have managed to have my husband back home).”

Earlier, May sought the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Western Visayas region. The DFA staff alongside the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) worked tirelessly to guide May through the process.

Meanwhile, police investigation reveals that Rex’s assailant is in continued police custody in Dubai. The tragic incident is believed to have been triggered by a longtime grudge held by the suspect identified as a certain Mar from Samar, Leyte.

Rex was stabbed to death two hours after he last called his wife. The last conversation happened at the very day May was celebrating her birthday.

“Nagtugon gid siya nga bayran ko ang gin-utang namon para sa duta kay pagpuli niya manguma siya (He told me to pay the money we loaned for the farmland so that when he comes home he can go farming),” May recalled. “Kaduwa gid siya magtawag sang birthday ko (He called twice on my birthday).”

The remains of Rex will be interred on July 29th with the wake held at the family hut at Barangay San Andres in San Rafael, Iloilo.