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Friday, April 19, 2013

Pinay in UAE dies from alleged beating by employers

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Abu Dhabi passed away on Sunday after suffering from stroke, allegedly after being beaten by her employers.

Maritess Lozano was rushed on April 7 to the Sheikh Kalifa hospital, where she fell into a coma and was declared brain dead, according to a report from 24-Oras' Saleema Refran.


On April 4, a video footage shot by her fellow OFWs in a recruitment agency showed Lozano narrating the alleged beating that she suffered under the hands of her employers.

“Tinutuktukan [ako], bugbog sarado sa ulo. Sa ulo sila tumitira sa akin,” said Lozano whose face appeared heavily bruised.

She was taken in by her agency due to the alleged beating that she received from her employers.

“Yung babae bagong panganak, alam mo bugbog sarado talaga ako [sakanya]. Talagang ninusnos ako sa may sahig,” she said, adding “Sigaw ako ng sigaw kaya.”

Lozano also shared that she once forgot to dress her employer's child, causing her male employer to storm into the restroom where she was, and then beating her up.

“Alam mo pumunta siya doon sa akin sa banyo, [hinataw ako ng sinturon],” she said, adding “Hindi ko talaga sila mapapatawad.”

Incomprehensible

The video footage captured Lozano's last movements. The report said she collapsed the following day and her pain was written all over her face even upon her death.

“Di naman maintindihan kung bakit ganun ang nangyari sakanya dahil napakalakas ng kapatid ko bago umalis dito [sa Pilipinas],” said Melanie Balcuba, Lozano's sister.

Lozano's cousin also mentioned that the victim had other injuries not shown in the video.

“May mga tusok po siya ng karayom sa kamay, may mga pasa po siya,” said Lyn Pastor

Seeking help

Meanwhile, the family of Lozano sought help from Vice President Jejomar Binay, the presidential advisor for OFW concerns.

Binay said he wondered why the beating incidents were not reported immediately to Philippine officials and surmised that it may be due to Lozano's fear of her employers.

“Yung iba naman natatakot [magsumbong at] baka madagdagan pa ng gulpi,” he said, adding “Hahabulin pa rin natin yung agency.”

As Lozano is an undocumented migrant worker, her documents will be arranged so that her family could receive death benefits from the Philippine government.

The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi is also proceesing the documents for the repatriation of her remains.

Lozano's husband died last year, pushing her to work as a domestic helper to raise money for her 13-year-old daughter in Iloilo.

“Saan man naroon yung kapatid ko hindi kami susuko ilalaban namin siya hanggang sa makamtan namin yung katarungan na dapat para sa kanya,” said Balcuba. Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News

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