THE Department of Migrant Workers on Sunday said it will file a case of negligence against the employer of Jenny Alvarado, the overseas Filipino worker who died of apparent coal smoke inhalation in Kuwait.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, in an interview over radio dzBB, said the department will file the case regardless of the results of the probe the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now conducting.
“We will also go ahead and file a case of negligence because the care and safety of Jenny and her co-workers is now being looked into by our lawyer towards the filing of a case against the employer,” Cacdac said.
No matter what the results of the autopsy, we will “move ahead” with the case against Alvarado’s employer.
“We will stand by it, we should make her employer responsible for the care and safety of their employees, their kasambahay or house helpers who are under their care,” he added.
He said the NBI conducted an autopsy on Alvarado’s remains last Friday and is asking for more time to release the findings as medico-legal experts have taken tissue samples from her “that have to be studied in a laboratory.”
Alvarado’s death was reported on January 2. Initial reports said she died of coal smoke suffocation when the heating system in her workplace reportedly broke down.
A wrong cadaver was repatriated to the country last January 10 which added to the anger and desperation of the already grieving family. The correct remains have been brought home.
Cacdac said the DMW is also studying the filing of cases against the courier or service provider responsible for the error.
He added that the DMW is also considering banning the deployment of workers to Kuwait after the deaths of Alvarado and Dafnie Nacalaban, 35.
Nacalaban was earlier reported missing. Her body, already in a decomposed state, was later found buried in the garden of her employer in Al-Abdullah, Jahra, Kuwait on December 28.
With these developments, Cacdac said that the DMW is considering stopping the deployment of first-time OFWs to Kuwait or imposing stricter rules or “high restrictions” on recruiters now sending workers to Kuwait.
He listed the following criteria for the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait:
“First-timers are not allowed for deployment; only those with overseas experience may be sent abroad.
“We also have Kuwaiti and Philippine recruiters checked in the ‘white listings’ which means that they should have a clean track record before they can recruit workers.
“Third, we have the pre-flight briefings held at the DMW, which is different from the PDOS (pre-departure orientation seminar,” he said.
Senate resolution
Sen. Raffy Tulfo has filed a resolution urging the Committee on Migrant Workers to investigate the recent “unfortunate incidents” involving OFWs in Kuwait, including that of a 26-year-old OFW who admitted involvement in the death of an 18-moth-old infant in her care “who allegedly annoyed her.”