THERE have been many instances of maltreatment, discrimination and other crimes committed against our overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs), especially women. These unfortunate incidents happened mostly in predominantly Muslim nations whose laws and culture, sense of justice, and social norms are very much different from ours.
Yet the case of OFW Jullebee Ranara is different because of the sheer evil and horror of what she had to suffer before her death. Ranara was raped, murdered, and her body burned in Kuwait last January. Her remains were found near a road in a desert, her skull smashed and the rest of her body charred. An autopsy later revealed that she was pregnant at the time of her untimely death. Her attacker, a son of her employer, was arrested and tried by a Kuwaiti court.
‘Kuwaiti courts issued the capital punishment decisions on the three cases cited above. Comparing these to Jullebee’s case, the observation that 15 years imprisonment for Ayed Al-Azmi is indeed light.’
The Philippines’ diplomatic personnel in Kuwait did their level best in helping Ranara’s family in seeking justice. They were assisted by the new Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) which was then headed by Secretary Susan Ople, now deceased.
Last week, the Kuwaiti court sentenced the accused, 17-year-old Ayed Al-Azmi, to 15 years in prison for the crimes committed, a sentence that could still be appealed. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conceded that the sentence given was light, but explained that it might be because the accused is a minor. Al-Azmi has 30 days to appeal the judgment to Kuwait’s Court of First Instance, the DFA said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was in Singapore then, issued a statement commending the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, the Department of Migrant Workers, and the Kuwait authorities for “their continued pursuit of justice” for Ranara.
In his statement, Marcos said, “We hope that the appeal process will be conducted fairly, and justice will be served accordingly.”
As expected, Ranara’s family was disappointed at the court’s decision. They noted that Jullebee lost her life in the most degrading and unconscionable way, and that her death left behind four children who now had to depend on charity from friends, relatives and supporters.
Norylnda Cabiles, Jullebee’s mother, said that she had expected the court to give the punishment of life imprisonment to the rapist-killer, an expectation shared by the victim’s brother, Mark Reyes.
Ranara joins the list of Filipino domestic helpers in Kuwait who were killed or brutally attacked by their employers. We remember the case of Joanna Demafelis, 29, who was killed and her body hidden in a freezer in an abandoned apartment for almost two years. Her employers, a Syrian and Lebanese couple, were sentenced to death for her murder.
Constancia Lago Dayag was found dead, allegedly beaten to death by her employer. Also, Jeanelyn Villavende died from injuries inflicted by her female employer, who was also sentenced to death by the Kuwaiti court.
Kuwaiti courts issued the capital punishment decisions on the three cases cited above. Comparing these to Jullebee’s case, the observation that 15 years imprisonment for Ayed Al-Azmi is indeed light.
