Filipino Expats Qatar

Press Release
April 8, 2008

Abused OFW Sisters seek help; Philippine Embassy’s ATN in Jordan coercing them to pay US1, 500 plus airfare cost

Mr. Arturo Pedro Lucas, the father of OFW sisters Gemma L. Domingo and Anne Janet Lucas who are both working as domestic helpers based in Jordan have sought the help of Migrante International’s Rights and Welfare Committee in Manila which referred to Migrante Middle East the case of his two daughters via electronic mail on March 5, 2008.

The Domingos’ are living in San Mateo, Isabela Province.

OFW Sisters Gemma and Janet were directly hired by principal agency Ashraf Abu Taleb & Company on December 2 and December 15, respectively. The said agency based in Jordan was owned by Glenda Abu Taleb, a Filipina who is married to a Jordanian National.

Recruiter Glenda’s sister named Norma Cordova who also from Isabela had promised sisters Gemma and Anne Janet that if they wish to work in Jordan as domestic helpers she could provide them work readily available in Jordan but will be hired directly by Ashraf Abu Taleb & Company as their principal agent owned by her sister’s husband in Jordan.

The Domingo sisters were persuaded by Norma as she promised them job but their placement fees and airfare cost is to be deducted from their respective salary.

When OFW Domingo sisters have arrived in Jordan, their employers are already waiting for them so that they can immediately serve as domestic helpers.

But unfortunate enough, the Domingo sisters have been abused and maltreated by their employers, thus in two months time they have been transferring from one employer to another made possible through their principal agent, the Ashraf Abu Taleb & Company.

Due to their deplorable conditions at the hands of errant and abusive employers, the Domingo sisters have decided to runaway from their employer and seek refuge from OWWA shelter for OFWs in distressed and runaways.

OFW Sisters plea over the Phone and through SMS

I’ve got a chance to speak with Gemma Domingo over the phone yesterday as I have called the attention of ATN Enrico Garcia, working at the Philippine Embassy’s ATN in Jordan whose mobile number was given by Mr. Arturo, father of Gemma and Anne Janet, when it contacted Migrante in Manila.

Gemma told me during our phone conversation yesterday that they are asking Migrante’s help as per the short messages they have sent to their father, Mr. Arturo, so that they can be immediately repatriated.

However, their principal agent Ashraf Abu Taleb & Company is asking them to pay US$1,500 as payment for their deployment cost plus airfare costs, before giving them the necessary exit clearance to leave Jordan soonest.

Migrante International in Manila has sent me the short messages Gemma and Anne Janet sent to their father Mr. Arturo, who in turn sent me a short message and it reads: Gudpm! Narito po ang mga pangalan ng taong nanghaharas sa mga anak ko na konektado sa embassy at kakutsaba ang may-ari ng Ashraf Abu Bin Taleb, Mr. Enrico Garcia CP#962779077778 at Alexander Maestrado text po ng mga bata kayo napo ang bahalang umaksyon. Salamat (Good p.m. Here are the names of those who are harassing my daughters connected to the Philippine Embassy and conniving with the owner of Ashraf Abu Taleb: Mr. Enrico Garcia CP#962779077778 and Alexander Maestrado, short messages from my children, we trust you to take action. Thank you.)

Gemma’s other short message to her father: Si Mr. Enrico Garcia last December lang siya dumating nagtratrabaho siya dito sa Phil Embassy at best friend niya ang may-ari ng agency naming dito. (Mr. Enrico Garcia has just arrived last December, he is working here at the Philippine Embassy and the owner of the recruitment agency is his best friend.)

“ATN” (At The service of New friends?)

The victim’s short messages sent to their father are self-explanatory and speak for it. That clearly Mr. Enrico Garcia working at Philippine Embassy’s ATN (Assistant to the Nationals) is putting pressure to OFW Domingo sisters to pay US$1,500 plus airfare costs amounting to more or less Php. 40,000. Until payment has been made, ATN Mr. Enrico Garcia will not act for the repatriation of Gemma and Anne Janet, who are only among the less than 200 OFWs runaways, distressed, and stranded in Jordan.

Domingo sisters should not pay their illegal recruiter an amount of US$1,500 plus airfare costs as payment for their deployment. In the first place, they are the very victims of illegal recruitment and this Ms. Norma Cordova, sister of Glenda Abu Taleb whose Jordanian husband is the owner of the Domingo sisters’s principal agent, is considered an illegal recruiter as she is not legally registered at the POEA as a recruiter.

Now we may ask: Why this certain Mr. Enrico Garcia, working at Philippine Embassy’s ATN in Jordan is coercing the Domingo sisters to pay such huge amount to their recruiter in Jordan? It’s not just because the owner-recruiter of Domingo sisters is his best friends? or he is getting paid by the owner-recruiter by securing visas or fake “job orders”, in order for the latter to conduct recruitment of OFWs and aspiring alike from the Philippines?

We are urging the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to investigate the conduct of Philippine embassy officials in Jordan, made special mention the conduct of Mr. Enrico Garcia and Alexander Maestrado working at the ATN section.

Right after my short talked over the phone to distress OFW Gemma, Migrante International staff in Manila emailed me that sisters Gemma and Anne Janet have just sent short message to their father saying that ATN Enrico Garcia has scolded them because Migrante ME regional coordinator has called his attention about their case.

OFW Domingo sisters are in the custody of Philippine Embassy’s ATN in Jordan, anything difficult and/or not good that might happen against them, it will be at the sole responsibility and accountability of ATN Enrico Garcia and Philippine Embassy in Jordan.

Is Mr. Enrico Garcia the right person to be at the Philippine Embassy’ Assistant to the Nationals who could extend the required assistance for runaways and distressed OFWs?

No doubt, there are now less than 200 OFWs in distressed and runways in Jordan. We will campaign for their immediate repatriation, too.

For reference:
John Leonard Monterona
regional coordinator
Migrante Middle East
Mobile No.: 00966 564 97 8012