By Leslie Ann Aquino Due to the reported death of Filipino worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende allegedly at the hands of her employer in Kuwait, a Catholic prelate said the government should again consider banning the deployment of overseas Filipino workers there. Bishop Ruperto Santos
(CBCP / MANILA BULLETIN) "It is just and proper that our DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) should review the said May 2018 agreement and consider the previous ban on deployment of OFWs," Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said in an interview Wednesday. The former head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People said what happened was a clear violation of the agreement. "It is a clear and repeated violation of the May, 2018 accord which demands fuller, transparent investigation and strict implementation of justice," said Santos. "With the tragic loss of another innocent life it means that our OFWs are not protected, their rights are not promoted and their lives are always in constant danger," he added. But Santos said they support the actions being taken by the government officials. He also revealed that Filipino priests have already been instructed to assist the family of Villavende. "We have informed our Filipino priests, especially Father Resty Ogsimer, CBCP ECMI executive secretary, who are there to assist and help the bereaved family," Santos, who is a member of the International Catholic Migration Commission, said. On Tuesday, the labor department said it was deeply "saddened and outraged" over the death of Villavende. "The case is a clear violation of the agreement signed by both Kuwait and the Philippines in 2018 that seeks to uphold and promote the protection of the rights and welfare of our workers in the Gulf state," it said. The department said it looks forward to the swift resolution of the case and that justice will be served to Villavende and her family.