Pinay scores first OFW’s victory over Lebanese employer

A Lebanese was convicted of beating up a Filipino domestic helper in 2006, the first in the history of Lebanon.

Fayrouz Farez was sentenced last Dec. 9 by a Lebanese court to 15 days in prison for beating up Jonalyn Malibago, 29, a native of Quirino province.

It also ordered Farez to pay $7,200 in compensation to Malibago and $34 in court fines.

“The embassy views this case as an important legal precedent in Lebanon, being the first conviction of a Lebanese

employer for the abusive treatment of a migrant worker, who significantly happened to be a Filipino,” Philippine Chargé d’Affaires Mohd. Noordin Pendosina Lomondot said in a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

During the Lebanon-Israel crisis in 2006, Welfare Officer Mario Antonio rescued Malibago from her Lebanese employer who was beating her up as she tried to escape Farez’s car around 200 meters away from the Sassine Evacuation Center in Beirut. Antonio is a Lebanese employee of the Beirut office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and a local volunteer at the evacuation center.

Antonio discovered bruises on Malibago’s body. She was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment by then Labor Attaché Glenda Manalo and another welfare officer from Riyadh.

The embassy had coordinated with the Caritas Migrant Center, an international non-government organization branch in Lebanon specializing in the welfare of migrant workers, mostly women, for filing and pursuing the case against Farez.

The embassy official also expressed hope that the case would push the Lebanese government to enact laws and regulations to protect the rights of migrant domestic workers.

Lebanon employs around 30,000 Filipino workers, mostly working as domestic helpers. But this figure could be higher as thousands defied a Philippine travel ban to Lebanon which was imposed following the outbreak of war in 2006.

Meanwhile, 14 Filipino seafarers on board a Greek vessel was freed Friday morning, Manila time by ransom-seeking Somali pirates, a separate embassy report said.

It said the Filipino crew of m/v Delvina are “safe and in good health.” The vessel and its crew are now heading to Mombasa.

The latest release has reduced the number of hijacked Filipino seafarers off the coast of Somalia to 56, involving five vessels.

The Philippines is the world’s leading supplier of ship crew with over 350,000 sailors, or about a fifth of the world’s seafarers, exposing them to piracy attacks.

Since late 2008, more than 200 Filipino seamen have been abducted by ransom-seeking pirates off Somali waters.

The Philippine government, meanwhile, assured that it continues to step up preventive and remedial efforts to address the continued increase in the number of piracy incidents and hostage-taking involving Filipino crew seafarers off the coast of Somalia.–Michaela P. del Callar, Daily Tribune