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Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Pinoy deportees continue to suffer illnesses
By Jonathan Fernandez
ONE CHILD dies every week among the Filipinos deported by the Malaysian authorities due to bronchopneumonia and malnutrition, reports from Task Force Tulong Sabah Refugees said Tuesday.
Since August 27 of this year, there have already been six children aged one to seven years old have died. Four of them were identified as Sitti Aima Ibni, 1; Nursa Roslan, 1; Leviner Herma, 3; and Josalih Asman, 7.
According to Poe Gratela, the task force's spokesman, the Filipino deportees continue to suffer from illnesses caused by malnutrition and deprivation even after they have arrived from Sabah.
Records said that there are 536 deportees under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aside from around 700 others who are still in Malaysia. Almost half of them are children below 12 years of age.
There are also deportees already now in their respective homes while there are some under the custody of local officials of Tawi-Tawi, a province in the Philippines nearest to Malaysian territory.
"Our heart bleeds for every child, mother and father dying at the hands of the Malaysian police. But the death facing many deportees here in Tawi-Tawi only demeans the situation further," said Gratela.
According to the task force's spokesman, the deplorable situation of the Filipino deportees should send a strong signal to the Arroyo government that they can never whitewash the horrors being faced by Filipinos continually harassed, deprived and deported mainly from Sabah.
Gratela further said, "The government's statements of normality, good health and good treatment being given the deportees are all lies. This is a futile attempt of the government to normalize the situation and preserve whatever diplomatic ties they have with the Malaysian government."
The ten-man team from the task force will leave for Malaysia Wednesday to check on the fate of the Filipino deportees.
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