DAVAO CITY — The “one sentence” autopsy report provided by the Kuwaiti government about the death of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende, appears to be “a lie” described Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
Bello in a press conference Friday, January 10 at Villavende residence in Barangay Tinago, Norala town in South Cotabato noted that the autopsy as conducted by Dr. Ricardo Rodaje of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), contradicts the report given by the Kuwaiti authorities.
In a report published by the PNA, it quoted Bello saying “Lumalabas na walang kuwenta ang ginawang autopsy ng Kuwait. Di ko pa masabi ang resulta pero talagang kasinungalingan yung autopsy report ng Kuwaiti government (It appears that the autopsy conducted in Kuwait was useless. I can’t discuss the results yet but it made the autopsy report of the Kuwaiti government a total lie),” Bello said.
Bello questioned the credibility of the report provided to him by the Kuwaiti government on the death of Villavende.
The Secretary said that the initial autopsy findings contradicted the finding of the NBI, “They did wicked things to the victim and oppressed her too much,” Bello stressed.
In its autopsy report, the Kuwaiti authorities claimed Villavende died of acute heart and respiratory failure as a result of shock and multiple injuries in the vascular system.
Rodaje earlier said they are looking into the possibility that the victim was also raped before her death.
Reports have it, that Villavende’ was beaten by her lady employer and was brought to the hospital on December 28 but staff at the hospital reported that the OFW was already dead when she was admitted.
It was only on December 30 that her family was informed about her death.
Bello said he will convene the governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and may recommend a total deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait, as soon as he receives the NBI autopsy report.
“That will not be lifted until we get proper justice (for Villavende),” he said.
The Labor department has earlier announced a partial deployment ban to Kuwait.
The employer of Villavende have reportedly been detained as confirmed by the labor attache of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait.
Bello said Kuwaiti Ambassador to Manila Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaihk informed him in a meeting last week that the suspects have already been charged, but the Ambassador “has failed on his promise to deliver a copy of the charge sheet last Monday,” Bello added.
