Group seeks probe of OFW's 'suicide' in Lebanon

A militant migrant workers' advocacy group asked Philippine authorities Sunday to take a closer look into the supposed "suicide" of a Filipina worker in Lebanon. Migrante Middle East voiced doubts the OFW, who it identified as Marites Pinto, hanged herself at the balcony of her employer’s house in Hasbaya, Lebanon. “Suicide – by hanging, by jumping [several floors] of a building, or by acid ingestion – is often cited as reason by the host government authorities when a helpless OFW-domestic worker mysteriously dies at the house of their employers," Migrante-ME coordinator John Monterona said in an entry on the group's blog. Monterona said he asked Philippine Ambassador to Beirut Gilbert Asuque to investigate the incident involving Pinto, who was initially identified as Penno in local news accounts. Citing a news report, the group said Lebanese authorities and a doctor conducted an investigation and examination of Pinto's remains and at the house of her employer. Lebanese authorities concluded that the OFW domestic helper had committed "suicide by hanging." But Monterona said some Lebanese employers may have abused domestic helpers. “This prompted the Philippine government to impose a ban on deploying OFW-domestic workers in Lebanon," he noted. Monterona also said Penno's case is the third mysterious death of OFWs his group monitored this year within the Middle East. The group said other "mysterious" cases included the Lorena Bedjoan, 24, who supposedly threw herself from the fourth-floor balcony of a building in Fanar, north of Beirut, Lebanon. Migrante-ME also voiced concern on the findings of Saudi Aarabia authorities that OFW Romilyn Eroy-Ibañez, 22, from North Cotabato, had committed suicide. “This is exactly the opposite of an earlier finding by the hospital’s attending physicians that it is highly impossible for her to stab herself, as there were stab wounds seen in the back of her body, and at the same time intoxicating herself of acid," Monterona said. He sought a reinvestigation of these mysterious deaths of Ibañez, Bedjoan and Pinto. ‘It is very disheartening that every time there is an OFW found dead inside the house of their employer, foul play, as always, is easily ruled out and quickly cite suicide as the motive of death. The Philippine government is helpless in conducting an honest-to-goodness investigation with the host government authorities and reveal the real cause of death and send the suspects in jail," Monterona said. “Our OFW-domestic helpers are dying at the hands of abusive employers and yet the PHL government is not providing protection for them," he added. He also cited the cases of OFWs who died under mysterious circumstances:

• Rowena Peremne Arceo, 33, from Cordillera province, died October 22, 2008 in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia;
• Joy Cabansi Sarto, 28, from Echague, Isabela province, murdered by her Arab employer on Sept. 22, 2009; unsolved case;
• Eugenia Baja, 24, passport holder SS0428627, initial reports said she committed suicide, but based on the autopsy later issued revealed that Baja bore stab wounds and bruises; unsolved case;
• Analyn De Pena, 33, from Old Sta. Mesa, Manila allegedly committed suicide sometime in November 2009, but the family believed there is foul play on her death;
• Marilou Macam Ating, 37, from Lingayen, Pangasinan. Sketchy reports reaching the family said that she died after she fell from the fourth floor of her employer’s residence. Family believed there is foul play leading to her death on November 24, 2008.