The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Saturday the death of a female overseas Filipino worker (OFW) during a hotel fire that reportedly killed some 40 people in Sulaimania City, Iraq.

“The Philippine Embassy in Baghdad reported to the DFA the demise of Maricar Cente, a Filipina working in the Asiacell Mobile Company based in Sulaimania, Kurdistan Region Governate in Iraq,” DFA Spokesperson Eduardo Malaya said.

According to Malaya, Cente was billeted at Hotel Soma located in the northern Iraqi City when the fire occurred Thursday night. She was reported to be employed as a telecommunications engineer for Asiacell, although the DFA did not mention her occupation.

“Her husband has been notified of her passing,” Malaya said.

The DFA spokesperson also confirmed that two other Filipinos “survived” the fire although one of them was reported to have been injured. The two were identified as Morelo “Joshua” Ermitano and Richie Salceda.

“Morelo Joshua Ermitano is recuperating at a hospital from a broken leg,” the official bared. Salceda, on the other hand, has been discharged from the hospital Friday.

“The Philippine Embassy in Baghdad is being assisted by a Filipino volunteer based in the nearby city of Erbil, and is coordinating with her employer for the repatriation of her remains and entitlement to benefits," Malaya added.

Wire news agencies reported that Asiacell lost four engineers from the fire that hit Hotel Soma, including the “lady from the Philippines.” Three male  workers from Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Iraq also perished.

Most of the fatalities of the hotel fire were foreigners, the same wire agencies reported. The blaze began at a nearby furniture shop.

The Philippine government has banned the deployment of OFWs in Iraq because of the long-standing violence there.

However, the DFA has admitted that hundreds of Filipinos still manage to set foot in Iraq and other banned states, entering illegally through schemes devised by recruiters.

Meanwhile, Malacanang assured that the necessary assistance will be extended to the 102 OFWs who have active death penalty cases, adding that the government will continuously monitor the development of the cases involving Filipinos abroad.

Presidential communications group member Herminio “Sonny” Coloma said it is the duty of every government to exhaust all efforts to ensure that its citizens abroad are given due process.

“I think this is a standing policy in all agencies dealing with OFWs,” he said.

According to the DFA, there are 102 active death penalty cases involving OFWs. Out of the 102 death penalty cases, 16 are in the Middle East facing murder or homicide charges, including rape/robbery with murder charges.

There are also 74 drug-related cases, mostly in China, and three non-drug related cases.

Coloma meanwhile assured the government’s assistance to the Filipino victims of a hotel fire in Iraq