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Monday, September 15, 2003
Shattered Dreams: Another OFW goes home in casket
By Edwin G. Espejo
(Last of series)
THE news of Gerlyn's death barely got any coverage from Hong Kong media. Only one newspaper carried the news of the incident the following day.
But back in her hometown in Banga, her tragic end spread like wildfire.
Dondon said her family was hoping the Philippine Government would take serious action on the controversial death of her sister.
"We strongly believe there was foul play," she said.
Ray Alayon himself took the cudgel of writing to several Filipino organizations in Hong Kong.
He wrote letters to several newspapers in Hong Kong and in the national dailies in the country. One of his letters saw print in the Philippine Tribune.
But except for the news that another OFW came home in a casket in the first week of this month, nothing more was heard of Gerlyn's case in the national dailies.
True, the local station of a national TV network covered the arrival of Gerlyn's body at the General Santos City airport.
But more than that, the coverage barely left a mark in the consciousness of local residents in Socsksargen, except in Banga.
On the other hand, Connie Regalado of Migrante and Union of Organization of Filipinos in Hong Kong is keeping a close watch on the developments of Gerlyn's case in Hong Kong upon the representation of Ray.
Last week, three Hong Kong newspapers covered a press conference of Ray and Migrante.
However, they could not press the Philippine consulate to initiate a re-investigation of Gerlyn's death in the absence of an autopsy report.
In an overseas call, Ray said they are still waiting for the result of the autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in General Santos, which is expected to come out this week.
Dondon also says they cannot wait for the results of the medico-legal examination of the Royal Hong Kong Police if they want to press their demands for justice.
"We are going to bury Gerlyn on the 21st. And yet, we have not seen any progress from the end of the Philippine Consulate office in Hong Kong," she said last Sunday.
Lawyer Aristeo Albay, husband of Erlinda Albay who works at the Philippine Consulate office in Hong Kong, said they were informed of Gerlyn's case.
Albay, a former councilor of Davao City who now also resides in the former British colony, said pressure should be exerted both in Hong Kong and in the Philippines so that the reinvestigation can be expedited.
He said the right now they can only rely on the coroner's report and the death certificate, which indicated that Gerlyn died of massive injuries.
Philippine vice consul general Porferio Mayo also said that they are still looking into Gerlyn's case. Dondon, however, is not losing hope.
Last week, the Provincial Board (PB) passed a resolution asking the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to look into the circumstances behind Gerlyn's death.
Dondon said she would attach a copy of the NBI autopsy report to the resolution of the PB when it is submitted to the DFA.
Meantime, they are bracing themselves up for Gerlyn's interment on Sunday.
End of a dream
Dondon said two Saturdays ago that EJ would like to open the package her mother brought for them.
Dondon asked the eldest son of Gerlyn if he could wait until her mother is buried.
She was earlier told by her late sister that Gerlyn bought her kids a lot of clothes.
At that time, nobody touched the suitcases and bags of her sister whose made-up face looks expressionless, belying the ordeal she underwent and the tragic end she met in the end of the rainbow where she hoped to find a pot of gold.
Instead, she is home in a gold-trimmed coffin with a brass marker on top saying: "Gerlyn Fresco Ortigosa, Born October 14, 1974. Died August 27, 2003".
Gerlyn was finally home, 50 days before her 29th birthday.
(September 15, 2003 issue)
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