MANILA, Philippines - Findings of a special team sent by
the government in June to look into allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior and other abuses involving diplomatic and labour personnel
posted in the Middle East were released late on Tuesday.
According to the Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA), at least 13 labour officials and diplomatic
personnel have been implicated 
in alleged misconduct committed at
various Philippine consular posts abroad.
in alleged misconduct committed at
various Philippine consular posts abroad.
Two of the officials are personnel of the DFA while the rest are from the Department of Labour and Employment.
DFA spokesperson Raul
Hernandez said the officials in question are now awaiting repatriation
following the conclusion of the fact-finding mission by DFA and
Department of Labour and Employment officials into the matter.
- In early June, Representative Walden Bello — following a visit to Philippine diplomatic and labour posts in the Middle East — said that certain personnel in embassy and overseas labour offices had been engaged in inappropriate behaviour, victimising Filipina women.
- Accounts by some of the women even alleged that personnel under the Philippine Overseas Labour Offices in a certain Middle East country had been “pimping” Filipina women.
- Hernandez clarified however, that at this point the allegations were yet to be proven and that not all the allegations against the DFA and Labour personnel are of sexual nature.
- “There was no formal hearing because there was no formal complaint. We receive a formal complaint and then based on that formal complaint, there will be fact-finding to establish probable cause. If there is probable cause, the official will be charged,” Hernandez was quoted as saying in reports.
- Labour Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz sent the investigation team on June 28 to verify Bello’s allegations.
“The fact-finding team
directed to gather information and pertinent documents from overseas
Filipino workers, Filipino community leaders, and Philippine Embassy
officials on the allegations about the ‘sex-for-flight’ issue, and to
validate such information, arrived yesterday afternoon from Jordan,”
Baldoz said.
“The team is composed of
female lawyers of the DOLE and DFA. During their information-gathering
and fact-finding mission, the team interviewed several OFWs and Filipino
community leaders, including those who may have information and
knowledge about the allegations.”
Source: Agency
Source: Agency
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