Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Sunday ordered the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to probe the agencies involved
in the deployment of six Filipina household service workers (HSWs) who
ended up being maltreated in Malaysia.
Baldoz
particularly instructed POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac to probe Philquest
International Management and Service Contractor and Greenworld Placement
Services.
“The POEA needs to find out why these
agencies, one of which (has its license) canceled, was still able to
deploy workers to Malaysia,” Baldoz said.
She also ordered Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head Carmelita
Dimzon to coordinate with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office on how
to extend repatriation and other welfare assistance to the HSWs.
Baldoz noted the six HSWs complained they have not been paid their
salaries and had been physically abused, and expressed their desire to
go home to the Philippines.
“One of them, Jessie Doran, is sick,” she added.
Earlier this month, Malaysian authorities rescued six Filipinas along
with 95 Indonesian and four Cambodian nationals from a labor agency.
But Baldoz’s order to probe the two agencies stemmed from a report on
the matter by Philippine Labor Attaché to Malaysia Alicia Santos.
- Marietta Watan Martes from Cordon, Isabela
- Maricel Manzano from Cainta, Rizal
- Jocelyn Castaneto from Cabaroquis, Quirino
- Marilou Madamba from Tuao, Cagayan
- Anna Lissa Casibang from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
- Jessie Doran from Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
For his part, Cacdac informed Baldoz the POEA canceled last Dec. 4 the
license of Philquest International Management Service Contractor.
Held captive
An investigation showed the six Filipino HSWs, together with the
Indonesians and Cambodians, were held captive by Agensi Pekerjaan
Sentosa Mn Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian placement agency accredited by the
Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).
The
POLO has since revoked the accreditation, while Cacdac said he will file
a case against the foreign placement agency and issue an order for its
preventive suspension.
Meanwhile, the HSWs are now sheltered at the Malaysian Shelter Home Five Center for Victims of Human Trafficking.
“Our welfare officer in Malaysia, Gloria Taule, DSWD Social Welfare
Attache Bernard Bonina, and Assistance to Nationals Officer Atty.
Eduardo Vinuya of the Philippine Embassy have already visited the six
HSWs,” Santos said in her report. — TJD, GMA News
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