DMW: Case vs. recruiters of slain OFW in Kuwait to be filed next week

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) — Authorities are eyeing to file a case against the recruitment agencies involved in the hiring of Jullebee Ranara, the Filipino domestic worker killed in Kuwait, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Saturday.

"After examination of the facts involved, by next week, there will be a recruitment violation case that will be filed against the [recruitment agencies] involved," DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said in a media briefing.

Olalia cited the companies' supposed lapses in monitoring the status of Ranara.

"'Yung continuous monitoring sa ating OFW... Base po sa initial investigation, hindi po nagampanan ng [recruitment agencies] 'yun," he added.

[Translation: The continuous monitoring on our OFW... Based on initial investigation, they were not able to achieve that.]

The DMW earlier confirmed the death of the 35-year-old Ranara, whose burnt body was found in the desert last week.

The suspect, the 17-year-old son of Ranara's employer, is already under police custody, according to the department.

READ: NBI starts autopsy on remains of OFW killed in Kuwait

Olalia said government officials will be meeting next week with representatives of local recruitment agencies managing household service workers sent to the Gulf State.

All concerns relating to their deployment will be tackled during the meeting, he added.

Meanwhile, the DMW said it will also be sending a fact-finding team to Kuwait to look into welfare cases involving Filipino workers.

"To find ways and means to address these welfare cases — either by filing cases in Kuwait if need be or filing cases in labor tribunals and authorities there. And of course, to facilitate, at the appropriate time, the safe repatriation of our distressed workers," DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said in the same briefing.