Five undocumented OFW's repatriated from Bahrain

At least five undocumented Filipino domestic helpers were repatriated after escaping from their employers in Bahrain, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday. The DFA said the five, whom it did not name, appeared to be victims of an illegal recruitment scam. The five overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were brought home with help from the "Assistance to Nationals" funds. "The HSWs ran away from their respective employers due to complaints of physical and verbal abuse, lack of food, unreasonable workload and unpaid salaries. They sought shelter at the Embassy and stayed there for several months prior to their repatriation," the DFA said in its website. The DFA said the Embassy monitored and helped facilitate the resolution of their cases at Bahrain's police, immigration, and court authorities. Philippine Embassy officials also made representations with their respective agents and employers for the waiver of deployment cost, and the cancellation of their visas. Before they were repatriated, the five OFWs were briefed by the Embassy on the procedures and requirements for reporting and filing of complaints about the illegal recruitment activities of those who deployed them to Bahrain. The Embassy also asked them to proceed to the concerned government authorities in charge of counter-trafficking operations to initiate necessary legal action against their recruiters upon their arrival in Manila. –VVP, GMANews.TV