A mother's unanswered questions on her daughter's death... a quest for justice

A mother's unanswered questions on her daughter's death... a quest for justice

By Belarmino Dabalos Saguing

 UMANGAT Rome, Italy

Email; bdsaguing@gmail.com, Mobile: +39 3356880613

Kathleen Ann Ilagan, a mother of 3 kids, who worked in Bahrain allegedly committed suicide inside the shelter. She seek for help at the embassy last April 7 but found dead on April 8 around 3am hanging herself at the "DOORKNOB" ...

How much truth is contained in this vague and brief announcement? The incident is shrouded with sinister mystery. Why is the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain so silent about this incident, is the Ambassador covering up something fishy? Until the Philippine mission in Bahrain shed light on the case, the question will remain to pester like a sore thumb. They have a responsability to enlighten the Filipino public on the whatfores and wherefores of the case.

Date: May 27, 2013

To:         President Benigno C. Aquino III

                Office of the President

                Republic of the Philippines

Thru:  

Sir: 

Greetings!

Justice, as they say, should always prevail. Leaning on this belief, I, Helena Virginia C. Viray, come into your good office to pursue the case of my daughter, the late Kathleen Ann V. Ilagan, an OFW who allegedly committed suicide inside the premise of the Philippine Embassy-Bahrain on April 8, 2013, who then run into their shelter asking for assistance. It is unlikely to happen as I knew my daughter very much, pushing me to go after to whoever is responsible for her death.

After her death, immediately that afternoon, The Philippine Embassy-Bahrain, Overseas Workers Welfare Association and the Department of Foreign Affairs altogether had sent us documentation and certification of her death and documentation/ reports logged on their interaction with her. Reading all these reports, I am extremely dissatisfied as these reports are very inconsistent and misaligned to each other. Until present, The Embassy has remained mouth-shut from our questions, aggravating us from asking more. We have been pushed to the limit. We have been trying to get in contact The Embassy for so long, and so we are taking this to a higher degree of action.

What I am concerned for:

·         If Kathleen and the employer has a good working relation, why did not she accompany her when she went to the embassy for arrangement or proper endorsement?

·         Who accompanied Kathleen when she went to The Embassy (April 6, 2013)? Why would she call her friend to fetch her up? What was in there? 

·         What were her things/luggage when she came to the embassy?

·         While she was under the custody of the embassy, was she sent out again? Who was with her? What time was that? Who was on duty at that time? How many hours was she outside of the premise? Why was she allowed to leave without even meddling/protecting/accompanying her? She sought assistance, would you not provide her assistance to full extent? Is that the level of competency of the people the Philippines has sent out to protect the rights of our OFW? An OFW’s haven is supposed to be The Embassy, but instead of putting us in haven, it will bring us to heaven?

·         We have been requesting for police report, pictures on the crime scene, the cord used/ found on her body, the height of the doorknob. I believe these are simple actions,  is this the kind of employees deployed to protect the OFW? Too incompetent. Even the reports presented to us has misaligned information, is that the kind of report they log about the turn of events? How many Filipinos will have to experience, or may experience that.

·         She was reported to have been on severe depression. Who assessed and diagnosed for her to be on that impression? Was it a doctor or just a social worker? What were the signs? Were there any precautionary measures that you could have done for depressed clients? The shelter is too lax to become a shelter, too lax not to protect the people.

·         Who were the last people she has conversation with during her last hours, what were the conversation?

·         During her last days, the line with The Embassy has been open. After that, they were already  mum and had been silent. Is that your duty? Is that your protocol? Even if you have already faxed us for information, does that mean that your responsibility stops after that? What kind of governance could you give to the Filipino outside of their native land?

·         Why didn’t the employer call us?

·         When her things were sent back to the Philippines, why were her call logs and text messages deleted from her cell phone?

·         From the date of her death, we have been asking for a copy of the CCTV footage from the date she entered all through out until her death and ports of entry and exit. Until now, they have not provided us one. Does that mean, The Embassy does not have a CCTV?

·         We were thankful that The Embassy sent her remains too soon, but then what puzzled us is that why were we the first one to know that my daughter died. Is that the right process?

·         The nanny was also for repatriation, where was she then? Was she also in The Embassy?

·         On April 18, 2013, when my daughter’s remains arrived in Butuan, someone called me at 9:35pm here in the Philippines using her number. I returned the call, but the other person cancels it. Is someone using the phone? If it is with The Embassy, should they have sealed it? Are they using it? For what purpose? How far can our Embassy protect us that even our belongings are no longer safe? Where is the respect, where is the protection? Or was it to use to erase the messages and call logs?

·         The day after she died, someone was using her account. She appeared online to her friend’s chat box. What was the reason? Who was that person?

·         After her death, the name of the employer is no longer searchable in Facebook, and their primary pictures or pictures have been deleted already.   

·         How extent could be the problem for her committing suicide? A fight with the co-worker is so simple and common.

·   Did the employer do anything to pacify the problem under her management?

·         If the employer has concern for her employers, why didn’t she call us to condole us and so with her co-workers? They are also Filipinos.

·         When her things arrived, there were things that do not belong to her. I know her belongings, and those were not from her. I do know her things, and those are not hers.

·         While she was still alive, she mentioned that her pad was already open and her things were in mess. And the lock was not ruined, it was safely entered. How could that possibly be when she was the only one who has the key and her employer? Who opened it? Who gave the approval to open it? What was the motive?

These are the things that I want to be answered, but is still remained to be unanswered. We were in hanging and we are even contemplating to file murder case against the people in The Embassy,  especially Paul Cruz and Raquel Solano.

I am pushing this to the limit, and we are pleading for your assistance. A disciplinary action must be taken especially to people who have been negligent to their duty. If this requires the consul and Paul Cruz be sent back to the Philippines just to answer these questions. Our voice may be little, but we are howling justice for Kathleen Ann Ilagan and other Filipinos who will be put in jeopardy in the future. We aim for this to prove that Kathleen did not commit suicide and that justice be served. We, the family and The Butuanons and all concerned Filipino citizen, is knocking on your good heart to help us make the people behind this answerable to justice.

Respectfully yours,

Helena Virginia C. Viray

The family of the deceased has the right to know what actually happened to Kathleen.

The OFW communities around the world are waiting for the answers. The Philippine Embassy in Bahrain must answer the questions if they are not covering up something. A thorough investigation must be conducted and the results must be revealed to the family as soon as possible. 

LET JUSTICE BE SERVED !!!

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