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Saturday, January 20, 2007
Overseas worker caught in Lebanon sex case
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Lantapan, Bukidnon, who is working as a domestic helper in Lebanon, has been turned into a sex slave.
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Already, Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri is urging all concerned government agencies to pull out 20-year-old Miraflor (not her real name) from the clutches of her Lebanese employer and bring her back to her parents.
Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro failed to contact the regional office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) as of Friday for comment.
Mary Jane Mabolo, a domestic helper from Lebanon who became friends with Miraflor, recently reported to Bombo Radyo-General Santos that her friend is asking for the government's help as she is being turned into a sex slave by her employer.
Mabolo described Miraflor as a petite young lady around 4'11" in height. She is from Tinapi, Alamid, Lantapan, Bukidnon.
Miraflor is said to be working as a domestic helper and nanny to the eight-year-old son of her employer in Lebanon since May 2004.
"Mary Jane Mabolo cried while recounting to us the things being done to her friend Miraflor in Lebanon," the Bombo Radyo-General Santos anchorman said during a link-up broadcast with dxIF Bombo Radyo here in Cagayan de Oro City.
Micheal Bustamante, dxIF Bombo Radyo operations manager, called up Governor Zubiri and portions of the interview with Miraflor was then broadcasted during the link-up for the governor.
Miraflor had also specifically requested that her parents be kept in the dark about her situation as her mother has a heart problem.
Also, she said she was embarrassed that her relatives and friends would know that she has been sexually exploited in Lebanon.
Zubiri, for his part, expressed his surprise that an OFW from Bukidnon was still left in Lebanon.
He said he recalled asking top-ranking ambassadors and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs to help pull out OFWs or any Filipino from Bukidnon during the bombings in Lebanon.
"This is the first time that I've heard that there is somebody from Bukidnon who is still in Lebanon and was even turned into a sex slave," he said.
Zubiri said he would immediately call on the mayor of Lantapan so that the latter could help him on the matter.
"Please give me her real name so that I can do all that I can to help bring her back home to her parents as soon as we can," he said.
The radio stations then broadcasted an interview with Miraflor whereby she recounted that she arrived in Lebanon in May 10, 2004.
She said her employer, whom she describes as a huge man, had tried to sexually exploit her since her first day working for him especially when his child is not around.
She said she did not consent to her employer's advances and he returned her to her agency. Miraflor added that she cried when he took her back again in just barely an hour.
"He asked me if I want to transfer to another employer but for me at that point I was very confused and I did not even know whether there was any other work I can transfer to," she said.
She added that she was left with no choice over the whole situation and that from then on the employer would sexually exploit her. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (January 20, 2007 issue)
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