Press Release
April 29, 2009

Villar: Bare real score on OFW's death

NACIONALISTA Party President Manny Villar asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to ascertain the real score on the death of an OFW in Saudi Arabia and bring home his remains immediately following distressed calls from the migrant worker's wife.

The ill-fated OFW, Jose Fermo Venturado, 51, from Kabugwason in Bacolod City, reportedly perished in a vehicular accident in Dammam on March 23 when a ten-wheeler truck apparently rammed onto the van he was driving. He worked as an electrician and all-around employee in the Middle East country.

But his wife Elvira, who called up Villar's helpline for distressed OFWs, said she suspects foul play in her husband's demise, on account of the delay in the release of the police report as well as her husband's remains.

According to the DFA, it has yet to obtain the translation of the police report which is in Arabic. It has been over a month since the accident was said to have occurred.

Villar wants to know how the accident took place and why it is taking a long time for the remains to be brought back to his distraught wife Elvira. Her grief over the loss of her husband under unclear circumstances is aggravated by her failure to see his remains, the senator said.

"Ang nakarating po sa aking report mula sa kasamahan ng aking asawa ay wasak na wasak ang sasakyan at nagkalasog-lasog po ang katawan niya (Jose Fermo) sa aksidente."

"Ito po ay aking lubos na ikinagulat dahil marami po akong impormasyong natanggap bago ang aksidente na nakapagbibigay duda sa mga pangyayari.

"Bilang asawa, mahirap tanggapin ang ganitong pangyayari, lalo na't anim na buwan pa lamang siya sa Saudi at apat ang aming anak na mag-isa ko nang kakalingain," the wife expressed.

The Venturado couple has four children Jose Fermo, 14, Rachel, 16, Roland, 21, and Remy, 25. The late OFW was a high school graduate who decided to work in the Middle East to sustain his impoverished family.

Villar has set up the OFW helpline in his personal and voluntary capacity to give an avenue for the beleaguered OFWs to make known their predicament for timely assistance.

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