Press Release
August 31, 2022

Robin, Itinulak ang Matinding Parusa sa Mga Ambassador na Mang-Aabuso ng OFW

Doble ang kanilang kasalanan, kaya dapat mas matindi ang kanilang kaparusahan.

Iginiit ito nitong Miyerkules ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla para sa mga ambassador at overseas personnel ng Pilipinas na mang-aabuso sa mga overseas Filipino worker (OFW) lalo na kung ginawa ito sa OFW shelters.

"Sana po magkaroon tayo talaga ng ngipin sa mga ganitong pangyayari. Ang hirap tanggapin talaga. Nahirapan akong tanggapin - ambassador ka, ikaw ang tatay sa lugar na yan. Tapos ikaw ang, unang una nasa shelter pa ang tao?" ani Padilla sa pagdinig ng Committee on Migrant Workers.

Ani Padilla, hindi na dapat maulit ang kaso ng sexual harassment na sangkot ang isang ambassador sa Kuwait, 10 taon na ang nakaraan.

Ibinunyag ni Department of Migrant Workers Sec. Susan Ople na ang ambassador ia ito ay hnidi nasampahan ng kasong kriminal at nakaretiro na. Tinulungan ni Ople ang nabiktimang kasambahay noong nang nasa non-government organization siya noong panahong iyon.

Dagdag ni Ople, noong nakaraang buwan lang niya nakuha ang desisyon ang Department of Foreign Affairs na pagbayaran ng multa ang ambassador. Dahil dito, ipinunto niya na kailangan ng anti-sexual harassment law na makasama ang mga diplomat.

"Hindi ko lang mapalagpas ang ambassador. You have an oath na proteksyunan mo ang Pilipinas at ang mga tao nito sa harapan ng Diyos, sa harapan ng Konstitusyon - tapos gagawa siya ng ganoon. Sa akin po wala akong ano, kahit 10-20 taon, nasaan ang ambassador na yan? Kasi di pupuwede yan," giit ni Padilla.

"Kung buhay pa ang kaso baka pupuwedeng habulin pa po natin," dagdag ng nagalit na mambabatas. Tugon ni Committee Chairman Raffy Tulfo na maaari itong gawin kung pasok pa ang kaso sa statute of limitations. "That's a good point raised by Sen. Padilla," aniya.

Nagpasalamat si Ople kay Padilla at Sen. Tulfo, at umasa na ma-review ang anti-sexual harassment law para masakop ang diplomatic and overseas personnel para mapanagot. "Basta Filipino na personnel ng gobyerno natin abroad, dapat covered ng batas," ayon kay Ople.


Robin Pushes Harsh Penalties vs PH Ambassadors Who Abuse OFWs

For betraying their oaths to protect their fellow Filipinos, Philippine ambassadors and diplomatic personnel deserve harsher punishments for sexually harassing overseas Filipino workers in OFW shelters abroad.

An angered Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla stressed this Wednesday after learning of the case of an ambassador who escaped punishment after sexually harassing an OFW 10 years ago.

"Sana po magkaroon tayo talaga ng ngipin sa mga ganitong pangyayari. Ang hirap tanggapin talaga. Nahirapan akong tanggapin - ambassador ka, ikaw ang tatay sa lugar na yan. Tapos ikaw ang, unang una nasa shelter pa ang tao (I hope we can give teeth to our laws on such cases. It is so hard to accept that these happen. An ambassador is the father of Filipinos in the host country, yet he commits such offenses, right in the OFW shelter)?" Padilla said at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers.

He stressed the sexual harassment incident narrated by Department of Migrant Workers Sec. Susan Ople should not be repeated.

Ople said the ambassador was not charged criminally for the incident and managed to retire from the service. Ople had helped pursue the complaint against the ambassador when she was still with a non-government organization.

She said she was informed of the decision of the Department of Foreign Affairs only last month - to fine the ambassador. She said a strong anti-sexual harassment law that covers diplomats should be passed.

"Hindi ko lang mapalagpas ang ambassador. You have an oath na proteksyunan mo ang Pilipinas at ang mga tao nito sa harapan ng Diyos, sa harapan ng Konstitusyon - tapos gagawa siya ng ganoon. Sa akin po wala akong ano, kahit 10-20 taon, nasaan ang ambassador na yan? Kasi di pupuwede yan (I cannot let this pass in the case of the ambassador. The ambassador took an oath before God and the Constitution to protect the Philippines and Filipinos, then did this. So even if this took place 10 to 20 years earlier, this is unacceptable)," stressed Padilla.

"Kung buhay pa ang kaso baka pupuwedeng habulin pa po natin (If the law permits, perhaps we can pursue it)," added Padilla.

Committee Chairman Raffy Tulfo replied this can be done if the statute of limitations allows it. "That's a good point raised by Sen. Padilla," he said.

Meanwhile, Ople thanked Padilla and Sen. Tulfo, as she expressed hopes that the anti-sexual harassment law can be revisited to cover diplomatic and overseas personnel and make them accountable. "Basta Filipino na personnel ng gobyerno natin abroad, dapat covered ng batas (The law should not exempt Filipino personnel abroad)," said Ople.

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