DAVAO CITY (September 21) — Authorities in Saudi Arabia filed charges against their citizen for torturing her Filipina Worker by forcing her to drink household bleach.
A statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs revealed, that Agnes Mancilla, a 35-year-old household service worker from Infanta, Quezon, was forced by her lady employer to drink bleach in the province of Jizan.
According to Consul General Edgar Badajos, Mancilla’s employer made her drink the cleaning solution after she reportedly made a mistake in preparing tea.
Badajos said Mancilla was rushed to the King Fahad Central Hospital sometime in April and placed under intensive care for internal injuries sustained after she was forced to ingest the chemical agent.
Mancilla’s employer has been making her work for about 20 hours per day and only providing her with coffee for her meals.
When the incident was reported, the Saudi authorities investigated the case and subsequently filed charges agains the abusive employer.
Badajos said that when Consulate officials visited Mancilla at the hospital, she was bone-thin. Her back, ears, and arms also bore extensive injuries that could not have been self-inflicted.
Lawyers hired by the Consular office said Mancilla’s case will now proceed to full trial and if the court finds the employer guilty, she will be sentenced to a prison term plus possible lashing and financial compensation.
According to Badajos, the employer is now facing charges before a Saudi Court.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano thanked the Saudi authorities for acting on the case which is now being tried in court.
“We would like to thank authorities in Saudi Arabia for filing the necessary charges against the employer who abused our kababayan,” Cayetano said.
“We are counting on our Saudi friends in ensuring that our kababayan would be able to obtain justice for the unthinkable deed committed against her,” Secretary Cayetano added.
Mancilla’s case happened a month after the Philippine government signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Kuwait authorities in March, the MOA guarantees humane treatment among OFWs in said country.
Despite signed agreement, OFWs in Arab countries still suffer abuse among employers.-Editha Z. Caduaya/NewsLine.ph
