Seven maltreated domestic helpers arrive at NAIA

After the return to the country of truck driver Angelo Reyes after being held hostage for almost two months by Iraqi terrorists, seven distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working as domestic helpers in the Middle Eas arrived recently in Manila after escaping from their employees who allegedly maltreated them for several months.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) identified the victims as Nurasia Hassan Abduhasad, 37, from Jolo, Sulu; Myrna Andres, 29, from Nueva Viscaya; Loreno Gabiason, 33, of Bacolod City; Elvira Carlos, 35, of Mauban, Quezon; Talib Mansinanan, 28, of Mauban, Quezon; Leticia Camugan, 48, of Mauban, Quezon; and Remedios Garga, 21, of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.

Abduhasad and Andres arrived from Bahrain via Gulf Air flight GF-254, while Gabiason arrived from Saudi Arabia via Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV-868.

Carlos, Mansinanan, Camugan and Garga arrived from Kuwait via Kuwait Airlines flight KU-411.

The OFWs said that they were overworked, underpaid and sexually harassed by their Arab employers during their stay in the Middle East.

The seven OFWs said they sought refuge in the Philippine embassies in the respective countries where they worked after their escape from their employers.

The OFWs also disclosed that they were beaten every time they make mistakes at work.

Some complained that they were forced to work for 12 to 18 hours, which was beyond the number of working hours stated in their contracts.

One of the OFWs, Camugan said, she was turned into a "punching bag" by her employer.