Slain radio reporter's wife comes home

KUWAIT — Ivy Maravilla, who worked as domestic helper here in Mishref, Kuwait comes home to bury her late husband, Ernesto "Bart" Maravilla, a Bombo radio reporter who was one of those slain in the infamous Maguindanao Massacre. She was given free plane ticket and a one month salary bonus by her good Kuwaiti employer, Mr. Saleh Al Jassem and Mrs. Al Anoud. She plans to stay home in Marbel, South Cotabato to take care of her orphaned children.

Ivy was given by us a warm and comforting care in the Bahay ni Kuya (Filipino Worker's Resource Center) in Kuwait. She spent her last night in the Center where she was comforted by the Ambassador (Ricardo M. Endaya) and the Labor Attaché (this writer), and the Welfare Officer, Ms. Yolly U. Penaranda. Ivy told this writer that, with the late Ernesto, she has five children: June Coleen, 14 years old, Jan Shayne 13, Josh Cheter 10, Jing Cyrus 5, and Jan Clarence 3, the only son. They are staying now with relatives in their conjugal dwelling in Megaland Subdivision in Marbel.

Most despicable murder

The Filipino communities in Kuwait are condemning in the harshest terms, the despicable act of mass murder in Maguindanao. They say that such an abominable act is indicative of the extremely dirty politics of guns, gold and goons is now endemic in our country. The death of Bart Maravilla is also a direct attack at the people's freedom of the press and of speech. They call upon the government to act swiftly and mete the highest penalty to the guilty parties, no matter who they are. Such a mass murder has scandalized all decent people all over the world and has ignited a global call for justice.

Now, the five children of Bart are orphaned because of the killer's barbaric act. Ivy has to raise her children alone and they have to go through the difficulties of life while the other killers are still free to go around. They are still ostentatiously displaying their power over the poor citizens. The killing of about 60 innocent victims, which was evidently premeditated, was the most heinous crime that deserves the highest level of penal sanctions. That outrageous act of barbarism has left many widows and orphans and is expected to draw another backlash of revenge and deadly retaliations from relatives and supporters of the victims. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Murder for murder.

End to cycle of violence

The time has now come to end this cycle of violence. The Maguindanao Massacre is a wake up call to all right-thinking and patriotic Filipinos. This crime is an acid test of our judicial system and a crucial challenge to our country's ability to deliver justice to both killers and victims.

Whether these killers are politicians or rebels, whether they are Muslims or Christians, they deserve the condemnation of all people who value life and love peace and who believe in the imperatives of justice for all.

Ivy and the victims

The dreams of Ivy in working as DH was to assist her late husband in preparing a bright future for their five children. They left their ancestral homes in Cadiz City and Bacolod and migrated to Marbel in search of better future. Ivy opted to venture on a life as OFW because the income of the local radio reporter was insufficient to send their kids to school. She was lucky to have been deployed to a very caring household in Kuwait.

But destiny shortened her tenure as a DH in Kuwait. The death of her husband put a stop to her beautiful dream and sent her home last December 01, 2009. Ivy is now in Marbel. But the saga of her life is bound to be repeated in the travails of the hundreds of thousands of OFWs in the Middle East. Maybe, it is time to reexamine our overall policy on labor migration. But that will call for another column.

* * *

Email: [email protected]