“Mabel,” the domestic helper who is alleging that Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Shulan Primavera molested her, had actually sought the government’s help after being abused by a Kuwaiti employer. She was among hundreds of runaway Filipino maids who have sought refuge in Philippine embassies and other overseas facilities.
Mabel, an alias, has filed sexual molestation charges against Primavera at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
According to Mabel’s lawyer Reynaldo Robles, Mabel took refuge in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) shelter in Kuwait. From there, she became Primavera’s household helper.
“There should be a policy prohibiting maids in shelters from being directly hired,” says Susan Ople, the president of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center. “Often, they are trauma cases.”
Ople’s organization assists OFWs and helped bring Mabel’s case to the DFA. She proposes an institutionalized program where the OFWs receive counselling and assistance before they are re-hired.
Robles said that in addition to sexual molestation, charges of human trafficking may arise from the case because of the way Mabel got hired by Primavera in Kuwait and also because of the low compensation she received while under Primavera’s employ for seven months.
“Nirecruit siya na walang karampatang papeles, at pinasuweldo nang malaking kababaan sa inaallow ng ating batas,” Robles said. Mabel had no contract, another violation of labor policy.
Primavera, sought for comment by GMA News, labeled as untrue the sexual molestation charges. In a report in the Gulf News, he claimed that the case was being used by “interested parties to bring me down,” but did not elaborate.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario recalled Primavera to Manila so he could face the complaint as soon as the internal DFA probe gets underway.
Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, DFA spokesman, said the department is awaiting the prerequisite directive from President Benigno Aquino III so the investigation could begin.
Three incidents of alleged harassment
The alleged victim said in her complaint that there were three incidents of sexual harassment by the envoy.
Mabel said the first incident happened last February, followed by another instance in March and then a third in April. She said the harassment began with his arm on her shoulder and around her waist in February, to hugging and groping in March, and then to an attempt to remove her bra and an invitation to go into his bedroom in April.
“Unang insidente po ay buwan ng Pebrero 2012… Nung araw na ‘yun ay dalawa lang kami ng Ambassador na naiwan… Pagkaupo ko sa tabi niya ay umakbay siya sa akin, hinawakan din niya ang bewang ko. Sinabihan niya akong huwag matakot, hanggang ganun lang daw siya…” Mabel said in a sworn statement, parts of which were shown in a report on 24 Oras.
“Dahil sa ang pagkilala ko sa kanya ay mabait siya at marespetong tao kaya ginawa ko ang sinabi niya ng walang bahid na malisya,” said Mabel, who at the time had been at the Ambassador’s house for seven months, the report said.
However, this was followed by another incident in March, according to Mabel. “Ang pangalawang insidente po ay buwan ng Marso 2012… Bigla po niya akong inakap. Pinatay po niya ang ilaw. Inutusan po niya akong isara ang pintuan sa kusina pero ‘do ko ginawa… gusto po niyang sumama ako sa kanyang kuwarto… Hinawakan po niya ako at isinandal sa may refrigerator. Bigla po niya akong hinalikan sa labi…” Mabel said.
The third incident happened in April, Mabel said. “Nagulat ako ng biglang may kamay na humimas sa likod ko. Si Ambassador po ulit. Sinubukan po niyang alisin ang bra ko… Inaya po niya akong muli sa kanilang kuwarto. Pero sabi ko ay ayoko sabay tulak sa kanya,” she said.
Mabel’s lawyer, Robles, explained to GMA News the possible consequences: “Ang administrative aspect niyan, puwede siyang disiplinahin for conduct unbecoming. Pangalawa, mayroon ding aspetong criminal itong mga pangyayari kasi may possible violation ng Sexual Harrasment Law.”
Maids frequently abused
Domestic helpers across the Middle East rely on diplomats like Primavera to assist them in the numerous cases of abuse that happen in private residences.
Last May, “Fatima,” a Filipina domestic worker who allegedly suffered severe physical abuse from her employers, sought shelter at the halfway house of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus, Syria.
In 2009, 91 distressed OFWs returned home from Saudi Arabia after camping out in front of the Philippine Consulate seeking immediate repatriation. The 91 Filipino workers were among the hundreds of OFW runaways who had suffered undesirable working conditions, like the non-payment of salary, lack of basic provisions, and physical abuse under their Saudi employers, a previous report said.
Last August, the Philippine Senate ratified the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, which mandates ratifying ILO member countries to establish standards for decent wages, employment conditions and protection from different forms of abuse.
Primavera is the second Philippine envoy in recent years charged with abuse by a domestic helper.
In 2008, Filipino nurse Marichu Suarez Baoanan filed a dozen charges, including a civil case of human trafficking, against Ambassador Lauro Baja, his wife, and his daughter, who allegedly paid her only $200 for the three months they had employed her as a maid and nanny in New York.
Baja, the former Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, denied that they had maltreated Baoanan. Representing the Baja, lawyer Salvador Tuy said Baoanan filed the trafficking case so she could continue to stay in the US.
In 2009, Baja invoked diplomatic immunity, but a federal judge in Manhattan ruled he could not claim immunity, as Baoanan’s “duties benefited the Baja family’s personal household needs, and are unrelated to Baja’s diplomatic functions.” — Carmela Guanzon Lapeña/ Howie Severino/ ELR, GMA News
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