ILOILO City – The family of an Ilongga overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is seeking help after having received alleged suicide photos of their mother working as a domestic help in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The forwarded photos, according to the family, showed Mary Jill Dela Cerna Muya, 44, of Barangay Cubay, Jaro district here, hanging from a double-deck bed inside her room in Al Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi.
The family is disputing reports of suicide and pressing for a full investigation.
Citing physical marks they saw on the photos, they point to a possible foul play, although the supposed death is yet to be confirmed by Philippine authorities in the UAE.
Muya had been working abroad for nearly two decades and was reportedly staying in the area without a legal work status.
According to her 27-year-old son, his mother was a “TNT” or “tago nang tago” — a Filipino term referring to undocumented workers abroad.
In interviews with local radio stations, Muya’s family expressed alarm over the photos circulating online.
The images showed Muya with a gag (“busal”) in her mouth, a cord tied around her neck, and her feet touching the floor while hanging from the bed.
DYFM Bombo Radyo Iloilo quoted Muya’s estranged husband as saying the photos immediately raised doubts.
“Wala kami sang kontak didto, ang picture lang gid ang nagalapta,” he said. “Daw may foul play. Makita niyo sa picture, nakatungtong sa salog sa semento ang iya tiil kag at the same time may busal nga pula nga panyo. Kon ikaw mag-suicide nga-a busalan mo pa imo bâbâ?”
He learned of the matter through their child.
“Nagkadto sa akon ang bata ko alas nueve sang aga, nagapaluya. Samtang gabaligya kami sang baboy, nakita ko nga tam-an kaluya. Sang nagtawhay na, siling niya ‘Tay, may problema…si Mama nag-suicide kuno.’ Ginpakita ‘ya sa akon ang pictures.”
The images were allegedly forwarded to the family by several individuals whose identities remain unclear.
“Hambal sang bata ko TNT ini siya. Karon ang problema, wala sang kontak didto. Ang picture lang ang nagalagaw… gin-send sa bata ko,” he said.
The family wants authorities to trace the origin of the photos.
“Siguro ang nag-send ‘ni sa iya kadtuan sang taga-embassy didto kon diin siya nagkuha sang picture nga amo ni?” he said, urging Philippine officials to intervene.
The family also noted that Muya failed to contact her child during Christmas, something they described as highly unusual.
“Ginpamangkot ko ang akon bata kon ang imo iloy nag-greet sang petsa 25, Christmas… Wala kuno siya sang nabaton nga message,” the ex-husband said.
The son said he finds it difficult to believe his mother would take her own life.
“Indi ko magpati nga mahimo ‘ya ‘ni. Bal-an ko ang batasan ni Mama bisan nga wala ‘ko nagdaku sa iya,” he said.
The son acknowledged that his mother had been struggling financially and had no employer at the time.
The family is seeking help from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to investigate.
The son stressed that the undocumented status of his mother should not bar government assistance./PN
