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[av_heading heading=’Who’s threatening slain OFW’s family?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY IME SORNITO
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
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ILOILO City – The windfall of financial assistance that the family of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joanna Demafelis of Sara, Iloilo received from the government has gotten some family members worried.
Criminal elements might be targeting them, according to Joanna’s brother Joejet but the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) said it has not monitored any threat.
“Kasi kung tanungin sino ang nag-threat, saan galing at paano nakuha, wala namang masabi. Rinig-ring lang naman nila,” said Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, IPPO director.
Joanna, a resident of Sitio Cordero, Barangay Ferraris, Sara, will be buried on March 3. She left for Kuwait in 2016 and was found dead inside her employers’ freezer just this Feb. 9.
A team of seven IPPO policemen are currently posted at the Demafelis house for Joanna’s wake.
“Nag-start sila since dumating ‘yung bangkay ni Joanna. Perhaps we can extend the team’s stay there for a few more days after the burial,” said Tayaba.
According to Joanna’s uncle Pablo Demafelis, a barangay councilman, five suspiciously-acting men visited the wake recently and expressed their sympathies to the family, with one offering security services to the family.
“Naga-training kuno for VIP security tapos 20 years in service na kuno sia, pero ang edad ‘ya 29 pa lang,” said Joejet.
Joanna’s brother also received an anonymous text message advising him to be doubly conscious of his security, according to Pablo.
The Demafelis family had received financial assistance of varying amounts from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, provincial government of Iloilo, and livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment.
During a visit to Joanna’s wake on Feb. 22, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also said the Demafelis family would get insurance coverage of US$15,000; that the President vowed to complete the unfinished house of the family, redeem the mortgaged lot of the family, and grant college scholarship to a Demafelis sibling.
On Feb. 24, officials of manpower recruitment agencies accredited to send OFWs to Kuwait visited the wake of Joanna to personally express their sympathies and turn over to the Demafelis family their agencies’ combined donations of P200,000.
The officials were led by Thelma Uanang, chairperson of the Philippine Association of Agencies Accredited to Kuwait./PN
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