Sister of allegedly slain Ilongga OFW in Abu Dhabi tells TNT Libre that the family wants an autopsy and is convinced the death of Marites Balcoba Lozano was due to abuse from her employer .
Melanie Balcoba, 43 years old, is the elder sister of Lozano. She intends to fly to Abu Dhabi to watchdog the investigations within the week after her papers are done.
BRAIN DYSFUNCTION
Balcoba’s younger sister was declared dead 11:45 PM last April 14 at the Sheikh Kalifa Medical City.
According to Overseas Workers Welfare Association - United Arab Emirates (OWWA - UAE), the medical diagnosis was brain dysfunction due to multiple organ failure. However, OWWA UAE have not yet sent a report of the death to the regional office as of Friday.
OWWA 6 Welfare Officer Jack Arroyo said that the diagnosis does not directly mean she died because of abuse.
Balcoba said that on April 14, a concerned Filipino pretended to be a cousin to visit her sister at the hospital. At around 11 PM, the hospital asked the “cousin” to come because Lozano was losing life.
When Balcoba called the hospital to confirm the death, a Filipina nurse answered and told her that they had to move the body from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the morgue.
ABUSED IN AGENCY
According to Balcoba, her sister did not stay at the Marbco Agency in Abu Dhabi as previously reported. She was transferred to an Ilongga-owned agency called “Expert”.
Fellow Filipinos in the agency saw that Lozano was in bad condition so they took videos of her telling the stories of abuse. They also told Balcoba that her sister was locked in and was verbally abused by the owner of the agency.
Lozano, in the said video given to GMA News, cried, “They would hit me in the head or hit me against the floor. One time, I forgot to put on the sando of my employer’s son. The father went inside the bathroom and belted me.”
Another video showed Lozano a day before she was brought to the hospital. She was lying on her back whimpering because of pain. Her fingers turned blue and she appears unable to talk.
Balcoba said fuming, “The owner of the agency knew that she wasn’t feeling ok, why didn’t they bring her to the hospital as soon as possible?”
FOUL PLAY
Balcoba said that the last phone call was on April 1. Lozano told her best friend in the Philippines that she will be moved by her agency because of the abuse. She also said that Lozano texted friends about the abuse.
Abu Dhabi-based Filipinos has told Balcoba of the dominating rumor that no abuse has been done to her sister and that she died of sickness.
However, the family is sure there was foreplay involved.
“My sister was in Hong Kong before and she never got sick. If you leave the Philippines to work abroad, don’t you get a medical check-up? Why would she suddenly die of sickness?”, Balcoba said over the phone interview.
FILIPINOS HELP
Balcoba was herself an OFW in Hong Kong.
She said a lot of Filipinos in Abu Dhabi helped her sister.
Balcoba has received offers from Filipinos in Abu Dhabi for provisions of both food and accommodation.
TCI Recruitment Corporation, Lozano’s agency in Manila, volunteered to handle the airlines and paper fees for Balcoba.
Balcoba finally said, “If my sister died of disease, it will be easy to accept. But no, she didn’t, we have to seek justice for her.”*
0 comments :: Family of “slain” OFW wants autopsy, convinced of foul play
Post a Comment