3 illegal recruitment victims return home

April 20, 2009, MANILA, Philippines – Three Filipinas who were victims of illegal recruitment and sex trafficking in west African nation of Ivory Coast were rescued by the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and returned to their families on Monday.

On board flight EK334 from Dubai, Abby, Rose and Marie (not their real names) arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at around 2 a.m., said Senator Richard Gordon, who also chairs the PNRC.

The three were recruited by Mirasol and Arnold Granada with a promise of earning as much as P 150,000 a month as cashiers in Ivory Coast, Gordon said.

But upon their arrival, their passports were reportedly confiscated in the airport, he said.

As a result, the victims were forced to work at Ilongo Bar, a night club owned by a certain Noemi Carnaje Shen, who is also a Filipina, he said.

According to Abby, her refusal to work in the night club allegedly prompted her employers to lock her inside a room without being given food. Using their mobile phones, the victims sought the help of their families, Gordon said.

The PNRC coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the immediate rescue of the three overseas workers and their immediate repatriation, he said.

Gordon said he also sought the assistance of the Red Cross Society of Ivory Coast to assess the situation and condition of the three to extend whatever assistance they needed, he said.

Immediately upon their arrival in Manila, the three victims underwent stress debriefing to avoid post-traumatic stress disorder and were given medical assistance, he said.

“The OFWs [Overseas Filipina Workers] were complaining of body pain due to some physical abuse and lack of food for several days so we immediately conducted general check-up. We also provided meals and offered them the PNRC hostel for their temporary shelter,” said PNRC Social Services Manager Zenaida Beltejar.

PNRC Social Services also contacted the three victims’ relatives.

“Welfare of our OFWs is one of the major concerns of the PNRC. We are going to extend all possible help we could provide to them especially when they are ill-treated in other countries,” said PNRC secretary general Gwen Pang. - Abigail Kwok, INQUIRER.net