Osmeña moves to save 5 Cebuanos in Malaysia

Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday directed the City Hall's labor and employment division to look into the situation of the five Cebuano women who escaped from their Malaysian employer who allegedly forced them to work as guest relation officers in a bar.

Osmeña also sought the help of Ambassador Victoriano Lecaros, the country's ambassador to Malaysia, to determine the whereabouts of Grace Gabatu, Michelle Redelusa, Cheryl Trocio, Rona Adrian Bless Pangga and Precious Adel Hermias, all from Cebu City.

Osmeña said the city government would handle the transportation of the women back to Cebu once they are located. "I'll worry about how to bring them here. We will raise the resources to bring them back as long as they're found."

The mayor personally called up Lecaros yesterday to seek the ambassador's help in bringing the Cebuanas back to the country.

The women are reported to be presently hiding in Miri, a city on Sabah Island, a three-hour flight from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

It was Hermias' aunt Nelia who sought the help of broadcaster Bobby Nalzaro on the women's situation. Reports had it that a Filipino took the women in after their employer alerted authorities and declared them as wanted persons in the area.

Nelia said a certain Roselyn Entrera recruited the girls last month with a promise to give them work as singers in Malaysia. They went to Miri through a flight via Kota Kinabalu.

However, when they reached Miri City, their employer allegedly forced them to work as guest relations officers in a bar and would not pay them if they will not drink with the male customers. - Joeberth M. Ocao