Priest: How much gov't spent for OFW repatriation from Libya?

MANILA, Philippines - A parish priest based in Libya on Wednesday called on the Philippine government to make public how much it spent for the repatriation of Filipino workers from the strife-torn country.

Father Amado Baranquel, parish priest of the Mary Immaculate in Benghazi, said the Philippine government should be transparent to erase doubts that the funds have not been spent properly.

“Kailangang liwanagin kung ilan,magkano ang budget ng gobyerno para sa repatriation upang maiwasan ang mga usap-usapang 'di maganda," Father Baranquel told Radyo Veritas.

The prelate's call of government accounting of the repatriation funds stemmed from the complaints of some Filipino repatriates alleging they were not given food for two days while on board a ship.

They also said that some of the women were forced to sleep on the floor of the vessel or on benches as there were no beddings provided by the Philippine repatriation team, led by a certain Labat Dizon.

"Ang  mga banyagang pasahero ng barko ang nakapuwesto sa mga cabin ng barko. Due to the poor management and decision of Mr.Labat Dizon ay marami po ang mga kababaihan ang nahiga na lamang sa lapag, sa sahig, ang iba ay sa mga bench sa labas ng barko. Mr. Labat Dizon was not able to at least check the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) or even to meet area representative to solve the problem.

"Kung kayat nagtatanong mga umuwing OFW kung inarkila talaga ng gobyerno ng barko o nakisakay lamang ang mga OFW. Ito bang barko ay gobyerno ng Pilipinas ang nagbayad o dayuhan. Ilabas ang katotohanan, pati ba naman sa barkong binayaran ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas mababa pa rin ang kalagayan ng mga Pinoy? Kailangan na malaman nila kung ito ba talaga ang barkong binayaran ng gobyerno na maglululan ng 1,500 na pasahero? O kumuha ng mura at tinipid ng may maibulsang pera," Jay Jeremias Carlos, one of the 800 repatriates, said.

Another Filipino repatriate, Javarez Salam, also claimed in 2011 that the head of Philippine repatriation and his son who worked for an Italian company in Tripoli made a profit when they brought home around 300 Filipino workers from Libya.

Salam alleged that the two, whom he did not name, included the names of the 300 Filipino workers to be repatriated in the Philippine embassy.

The repatriation expenses of the Filipinos were shouldered by the company, he added.

"Nagwu-work ito sa isang Italian company dito sa Tripoli at nagpauwi ang company ng mahigit sa 300 OFW sa company expense subalit ito'y kanilang isinama sa listahan sa embassy. Iyan po ay isa sa mga pinagkaperahan nila noong 2011. Kaya sang-ayon ako sa pagpapa-audit ng 2011 repatriation dito sa Libya maging sa pondo ng repatriation ngayong taon. Ginawa nila ang pagpapaalis dito sa tulong ng kanilang mga galamay dito sa Tripoli," Salam said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said that it spent P169 million to repatriate 1,500 Filipino workers who were fetched by a ship from Tripoli and brought to Malta where they boarded a flight back to the Philippines.