NBI finds no foul play in Cebuana's death

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation found no signs to indicate foul play in the death of Cebuana Denise Coleen “Sugar” Bolay-og, whose body arrived here from Kuwait last Thursday.

Denise reportedly died of cardiac arrest in Kuwait but her mother believes she was murdered.

The body of Denise arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport at 4:30 p.m. last the other day through the efforts of her Filipino friends in Kuwait and the Philippine Embassy.

Kristine Sta. Cruz Ebarle, the mother of the fatality, has been following up the case of her daughter since her death last May 14.

Ebarle’s suspicions that her daughter was murdered were heightened when she saw what appeared to be bruises on her body. She believes that Bolay-og was tortured by the latter’s Lebanese employer.

Ebarle suspected that her daughter’s employer, Marawan Anton Allam, in Hawally Al Salmiya, Block 9, Kuwait City, was behind her death. She started working in Kuwait two years ago.

Ebarle said she received a threat through a phone call from Allam last December, a few days after her daughter ran away because of alleged maltreatment. Denise was supposed to end her two-year contract last March and was supposed to avail of the amnesty program for OFWs like her.

“She called me and said namroblema siya sa iya amo kay dili pa siya pakan-on, dili pa g’yud siya tagaan sa iya sweldo. Nag-run away siya and stayed in the apartment of her Filipino friends. Then Allam also called me and said ‘I will see to it that you’re daughter will not go back home alive.’ Ang ako duda basin gi-sundan-sundan siya ni Allam ug gihiloan ba ‘ron siya through her food,” she said.

She said that prior to her daughter’s death she already complained to her friends of backache and epilepsy. Denise reportedly died on the way to the hospital because of cardiac arrest.

But Ebarle said her daughter has no history of any ailment and was very healthy and had no vices.

Ebarle also said if not through poison, Allam may have caught up with her daughter and eventually tortured her.

Ebarle, who earlier said that she will waive any legal proceeding as long as her daughter’s body will be repatriated, said she will coordinate with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to have Allam blacklisted.

“Para dili na siya makakuha og Filipino domestic helper ug para dili na mausab and nahitabo sa akong anak,” Ebarle said.

But last night Dr. Rene Cam of the NBI said the bruises found on the body were not from injuries but from the dry ice packed with the body during repatriation.

He, however, said her heart was missing. He said they will still follow this up with Kuwaiti authorities who also conducted their own autopsy after the death of Denise.

Cam also said they will proceed with the blacklisting of Allam.

Denise left behind her husband, Sherwin, and their kids Sherman Daniel, 12, and Christian, six, in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.(FREEMAN NEWS)