DFA report: Murdered Pinay's case referred to KSA emir

Philippine authorities in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have referred to a Saudi emir the murder case of a Filipina who died of stab wounds and acid burns last month, a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday. Ambassador Antonio Villamor met with Prince Mohammad Bin Fahad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to facilitate the investigation of Romelyn Ybañez's murder, the report said. "The Saudi emir assured the immediate release of Ms. Ybanez's autopsy report, and that he will personally see to it that justice will be served," the DFA said in an article posted on its website Saturday. Ybañez was found in the kitchen of her employer's home in Al-Khobar with stab wounds in her neck, abdomen and wrist, and acid burns in her mouth area, arms and legs. [See story: Sister of OFW killed in KSA cries for justice] Initial reports also indicated police recovered an almost empty container of sulfuric acid from the scene. Red Crescent rescuers rushed Ybañez to the King Fahd Hospital on September 8, but she died due to her wounds and acid ingestion. The DFA said the Philippine Embassy is already selecting a top-caliber trial lawyer to handle the case, using the Legal Assistance Fund (LAF). With the passage of Republic Act 10022, or the Revised Migrant Workers Act, the uses of the LAF have been expanded to cover both the legal defense and prosecution of cases involving Filipinos. The DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) is also communicating with Ms. Ybanez's relatives. For its part, DFA Mindanao is providing on-site assistance to her family based in North Cotabato. Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said an administrative case was already filed against Ybañez's recruitment agency, PRA Solidworks Manpower Resources and Promotion, due to contract violations. POEA also immediately issued a preventive suspension order against the recruitment agency. Upon investigation by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, Ybañez was deployed on May 31 supposedly as a nursing aide, but ended up working as a household service worker. — LBG, GMANews.TV