OFW recalls horrifying abuse under Saudi employer
MANILA, Philippines — An overseas Filipino worker abused by her employer in Saudi Arabia shared her story as her condition has improved, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.
Earlier this month, domestic helper Agnes Mancilla was rushed to the hospital after reportedly being forced by her employer to drink household bleach.
Consul General Edgar Badajos of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah visited Mancilla at the King Fahd Central Hospital in Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Badajos said that the condition of the Filipina domestic helper has improved and that she could now talk.
"Despite her condition, she was able to share her horrifying story of abuse in the hands of her employer. Agnes told Consul General Badajos her employer forced her to drink household bleach for failing to make tea properly," the DFA said.
Mancilla told Badajos that her employer has not fed her anything except coffee for one month and 16 days. She was also forced to work from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day.
The burn marks found on her back were actually bite marks, according to the consul general.
"Kinakagat daw siya palagi ng amo niyang babae tuwing nagkakamali siya (Her employer bites her whenever she commits mistakes)," Badajos said.
The DFA said that Mancilla was happy to see Badajos visit her in the hospital.
"Consul General Badajos said Agnes was happy to see him and that her attending nurse at the ICU said it was the first time she saw our kababayan smile since she regained consciousness," the DFA said.
Mancilla started working in Saudi Arabia in 2016 as a household service worker for the same employer, who was initially based in Jeddah.
The abuse allegedly started last year when they relocated to Jizan. Mancilla has not been in contact with her family for two years as her employers have confiscated her phone.
"Consul General Badajos will be seeing authorities in Jizan who are handling Agnes's case later this morning to ensure that the proper charges would be filed against her employer," the DFA said.
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