Interpol hunts down couple in Filipino’s murder in Kuwait

MANILA, Philippines — The International Police (Interpol) joined the manhunt to arrest the couple implicated in the death of a Filipina house helper in Kuwait who has been identified by authorities, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III disclosed yesterday.

Bello said the victim was identified through DNA and fingerprints as Joanna Daniel Dimapilis, 29, from Sara, Iloilo.

He noted that Dimapilis’ body was found inside a freezer in an uninhabited apartment in Kuwait.

According to Bello, the victim could have been in the freezer since November 2016 when her employers – a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife – left for Lebanon.

“The body was found three or four days ago. She was in sitting position with her arms crossed,” he added.

Bello is hopeful that the couple will be arrested soon since the Minister of Interior of Kuwait had their address in Lebanon and it already coordinated with the Interpol. 

“I don’t think she was still alive when she was placed there. Maybe, they put her in the freezer to conceal whatever they did to the victim,” he said.

He said that the results of the probe could be vital to the decision of President Duterte on whether the ban on worker deployment in Kuwait should be lifted or not.

“It’s good that her employers are not Kuwaitis because, otherwise, we might push thru with the banning of deployment (of all Filipino workers to Kuwait). The President really takes it hard that many Filipinos are being killed or committing suicide there,” he added.