MikeLigalig.com

OFFICIAL PRESS STATEMENT
by iRekrut Manpower
through Roland Collado, iRekrut Managing Director

For the information of the news media and the general public, here are the facts, as known by iRekrut Manpower, on the case of OFW Jeanette Opido (https://youtu.be/torG7pkGcSk).

iRekrut Manpower submitted 12 detailed reports to POEA about OFW Jeanette Opido, summarized below. FRA stands for foreign recruitment agency (that is the counterpart of iRekrut in Kuwait) which is Teflah Mohsen Duhaiman Al Dhafeeri Manpower Office.

1st

7/14/17

When OPIDO was admitted to the hospital and underwent surgery

2nd

7/31/17

Visit and assistance of our FRA to OPIDO and continuous checking on her condition.  At the same time the coordination of our FRA w/ ATNU for her repatriation

3rd

8/31/17

Improvement on the condition of OPIDO; process of her travel documents

4th

9/26/17

Informing that OPIDO went out of the hospital with the assistance of an NGO in Fahaheel, Kuwait

5th

10/13/17

Worker confirmed that she is staying with a certain “GLAIZA GAMBOA”; we instructed OPIDO to proceed to POLO/Embassy but refused to follow as she still wants to work

6th

12/27/17

Reported that the worker already assisted by our FRA to apply for travel documents at the Phil. Embassy

7th

1/15/18

FRA brought OPIDO to the hospital for checkup for a fit to travel certificate; she was confined for 4 days; was discharged after some lab tests; NO PAYMENT WAS REQUIRED BY THE HOSPITAL

8th

2/19/18

In response to the social media postings, we submitted a full report to Atty. Basas from the start of the case up the present situation; and informing the worker was brought to hospital by our FRA/Embassy

9th

2/22/18

Update on the efforts of our FRA with POLO/Embassy and a relative of OPIDO in Kuwait

10th

2/23/18

Transfer of OPIDO to ICU

11th

2/26/18

Death of OPIDO; same report was forwarded to OWWA Admin Cacdac

12th

3/2/18

Update on the repatriation of the body of OPIDO; coordination with the family members

1.                             On the issue that FRA is the one who facilitated OPIDO’s escape from the hospital this is not true.

There is no reason for our FRA to facilitate the alleged escape because generally, the cost of hospitalization for OFW in Kuwait is free. 

The FRA only needed the documents from the Direct Employer so that the OFW like OPIDO will be discharged at no cost. 

At that time FRA was already in touch with Opido’s Direct Employer. To attest to that, similar to her 2nd 4-day confinement and when she was last admitted up to her death, NO PAYMENT WAS REQUIRED BY THE HOSPITAL.

All throughout Opido’s confinement (1st, 2nd and 3rd) our FRA was with her as evidenced by the pictures attached in our several reports. 

If indeed our FRA facilitated the illegal act of unauthorized hospital discharge, they can be subjected to police investigation since they are the ones who endorsed Opido and frequently stayed with her in the hospital.

The Filipino secretaries of our FRA were regularly present in the hospital during the confinement as evidenced by the pictures we have submitted in our reports.

Furthermore, OPIDO herself confirmed that she was in the custody of a certain GLAIZA GAMBOA, who is not an employee of our FRA. Initial reports would indicate that an NGO facilitated Opido’s escape from the hospital and thereafter, a certain GLAIZA GAMBOA, allowed her to stay in their accommodation. 

As soon as we are able to repatriate the remains of our worker, Opido, we will request through our FRA to coordinate with the local Kuwait authorities to investigate the alleged Filipino companions of OPIDO when she escaped from the hospital.

2.                             On the issue of the worsening condition of OPIDO.

The NGO should likewise explain why they kept in their custody a medically-ill worker instead of bringing her immediately to the hospital or at least, at the Philippine Embassy. From the start, we have been asking OPIDO to report to Embassy but she refused to follow.  To reiterate, since her first confinement until her last hospitalization, it was our FRA who have been assisting OFW Opido which was properly documented (reports have been submitted to POEA and even to POLO/Embassy)

A few days after her last confinement, OPIDO posted the following on her FB:

“PLZ PO PARA KAALAMAN NG LAHAT AKO MISMO ANG AYAW N MALAMAN NG MGA KAIBIGAN AT KAMAG ANAK KO NANGYAYARI SAKIN AYAW KO NG MARAMING TANONG AT AYAW KO CLA MAG ALALALA PARA SAKIN. MASASAKIT N COMMENT N BINIBITAWAN NIO SA KUNG CNO ANG MAY GAWA BKIT AKO NAGKAGANITO NAGKASAKIT AKO HINDI NIA KO BINIGYAN NG SAKIT

SALAMAT NG MARAMI SA MALASAKIT NYO”

3.                             Cause of Death:

It is not true that Jeanette’s illness and eventual death was due to lack of food.  

As stated on the July 14, 2017 letter of Roy Seneres, Jr of OFW Family Party List, it was stated that Opido was suffering from abdominal cancer.

From that information, our FRA traced the hospital whereabouts of our worker and assisted her. When she was ready for discharged, Jeanette escaped with the assistance of the NGO. Jeanette has been uncooperative with us and our FRA when we asked her that we will process her repatriation. 

It was only in December 2017 that she cooperated with us for the process of her repatriation.  She was confined for 4 days last January and was eventually discharged and was even given a fit to travel certificate. 

All of these was through the assistance of our FRA. While waiting for the process of her repatriation, Jeanette stayed with a certain Glaiza Gamboa. 

We were then surprised when a very sick Jeanette was circulated thru FB by an NGO.  On the same day that we saw the FB post, our FRA was able to get Jeanette and she was admitted at Amiri Hospital.  All throughout until her death, our FRA’s secretary was with our worker. 

In the MOH Report of Death submitted to POEA, details of the cause of death of Jeanette stated – “Stop in the heart of Muscle and a Sharp drop session. Heart and Lung Anemia”.

4.                             Issue of Multiple Employers.  Per our FRA, OFW Opido only had two employers until she ran away sometime April 2016. Instead of seeking shelter at our Embassy or asking assistance from our FRA, she worked illegally as part time cleaner. Even after her operation (1st confinement) she refused to be repatriated and instead insisted of working illegally.

Tentative Date of Arrival of the Remains of Jeanette is March 8, 2018.    The family has been informed. (END)

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