By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Wednesday temporarily barred a local recruitment agency from deploying Filipino workers to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia over reports of abuses of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the area.
According to POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, the documentary processing of Iemploy Manpower Services Inc. has been suspended pending investigation of the cases.
The order was issued in connection with the report of Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) Jeddah Labor Attache Nasser Munder to DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III about the cases of abuse of OFWs.
One of the cases involved four household service workers who were forced to work in different households beyond their working hours.
The workers identified as Samra Musa Lidasan, Lyn Silongan Sali, Norhen Gayo Sarat, and Noraima Mamadra Bandara are now at the Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center (MWOFRC).
Also, Munder reported an alleged rape case involving a 22-year-old Filipina by her agency representative last year.
Bello, however, noted that the victim decided not to push through with the case.
“It turned out the Filipina victim agreed to a settlement. She settled the case for PHP750,000,” he said in an interview.
The case was handled by the Assistance to Nationals Section of Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah.
Aside from the local employment agency, its foreign counterparts are also being investigated.
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