During a question-and-answer session on CNN’s The Source, news anchor Pinky Webb asked Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Administrator Hans Cacdac: Apart from the case of Joanna Demafelis who was “killed to death,”what are the other cases of abuses against our workers in Kuwait? (I purposely put “killed to death” in quotes to make clear it was not I who said it but Ms. Webb.)
Cacdac, who appeared to know about the abuses suffered by our OFWS at the hands of employers in Kuwait, replied: “There were 196 cases since 2016 of OFW deaths ranging from suicide, cardiac arrests, and physical torture.” Cacdac said he found the number of suicide cases troubling and strange since “suicide is not in the culture of our people.” He added that if indeed they committed suicide, the victims without doubt were driven to it because of maltreatment as shown by the bruises in other parts of the victims’ body.
Because of the high number of physical abuses against our workers, Cacdac said the total ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait will not be lifted until Kuwaiti authorities sign the agreement guaranteeing their safety and protection.
It is as it should be—not only in Kuwait but also in other Middle East countries which have recorded cases of abuses against Filipinos. We must serve notice to Middle East employers that we will not allow our people to be treated like animals.
Noose tightens on CJ Sereno
The noose it appears is tightening around the neck of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Majority of the high court’s associate justices have come out publicly denouncing her arbitrary decision on policies which need en banc approval.
In what appears to be a weakening of her position, the beleaguered Sereno has taken an indefinite leave of absence allowing Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio to take over as Chief Justice.
The camp of CJ Sereno, however, made clear to House of Representatives members she will not give in to their calls for her to resign. Sereno spokesman Jojo Lacanilao said CJ Sereno is preparing to defend herself at the impeachment trial in the Senate.
Yes indeed, why does the House judiciary committee of Rep. Reynaldo Umali want her to resign instead of forwarding the articles of impeachment to the Senate so the trial can start? But the House it seems want to get maximum mileage through trial by publicity. The issues raised against Sereno by complainant lawyer Larry Gadon and the House justice committee so far included the false statement in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth, non-filing of income tax return (ITR) and her alleged failure of a psychiatric test. When you think of it, these are issues that can be raised also against half of the nearly 300 members of Congress.
Perhaps members of the House panel are not sure of the number of senators they can get to convict Sereno. The House prosecution panel would need at least 17 of the 21 senators .It would be an embarrassing defeat for the House if they cannot convict the chief magistrate.
Will Sereno opt for resignation wherein she can still avail of all the emoluments such as retirement pay and other benefits? If convicted in the Senate impeachment trial, Sereno will be removed from her post, barred from holding public office in the future and stripped of all monetary benefits accorded to a retiring or resigned official.
A mami-Siopao mentality
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque has a gift for gab. Reacting to reports of China naming some of the undersea features in the Philippine (Benham) Rise, Roque said Filipinos eat mami and siopao but never claimed it to be a native delicacy.
Someone should tell Mr. Roque that there is a world of difference between eating mami and siopao to the Chinese eating up our sovereign territory. There is global implication in China’s covetous design in the Philippine Rise. If the Chinese are allowed to build the same military installation on artificial islands they reclaimed in the South China Sea, then we are in deep kimchi.
Deep kimchi is an American slang using the fermented Korean cabbage instead of the more vulgar bovine manure or the equine droppings to denote a messy situation.