BEATEN TO DEATH

[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’BEATEN TO DEATH’ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” 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=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
February 16, 2018
[/av_textblock]

[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]

Ilongga OFW mauled – autopsy; remains return to PH today

MANILA – Joanna Demafelis of Sara, Iloilo was beaten to death before she was stored in a freezer in Kuwait, an autopsy showed.

The domestic helper had several broken ribs and contusions and trauma in the pelvis and kidney area, according to Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Rene Villa, citing the autopsy result.

The overseas Filipino worker also suffered from internal bleeding, said Villa.
“Sinabi rin (in the autopsy result) na ‘yung beating sa kanya o pagmamaltrato ay hindi nangyari isang beses lang kundi madalas siyang binubugbog,” added Villa.
Demafelis’ remains will arrive in Manila today. On Wednesday, Villa checked the remains at the Al-Sabah Hospital in Kuwait.

According to Villa, Kuwaiti authorities assured to him they were doing their best to locate and arrest Demafelis’ employers – a Lebanese man with a Syrian wife – for murder.

“Ang nangyari pala ganito…ang employers, ‘di ba umalis sila, sumibat sila ng Kuwait? Bago sila umalis gusto nilang pagtakpan ‘yung kanilang ginawa,” said Villa. “Ni-report nila na si Joanna ay nag-abscond or tumakas noong November 2016.”

Demafelis’ body was discovered in the freezer of her employers’ abandoned apartment Friday last week. But authorities believed she had been stuffed there for more than a year already. The Kuwaiti authorities who stumbled upon the frozen corpse were originally tasked to serve a court order to evict the apartment tenant.

“Nakausap ko po muli ang opisyal ng Ministry of Interior ng Kuwait at sinabi nila sa akin na talagang pagsisikapan nilang mahuli ‘yung Lebanese na gumawa ng krimen at pati ang kaniyang Syrian na asawa,” said Villa.

The Lebanese, identified as Nader Essam Assaf, turned out to be a fugitive with cases related to falsified cheques, said Villa.

Demafelis’ death angered President Rodrigo Duterte and prompted him to order a ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait.

“Na-shock din ang Kuwait sa krimeng ito at matindi rin ang galit nila sa nangyaring ito. Sana nga ay mahuli na sa Lebanon man o sa Syria ang mag-asawang ito,” said Villa.

Demafelis’ father Crisanto, 62, wanted her daughter’s killers prosecuted.

“Kun sin-o nagpatay, sabton nila. What we want is justice for my daughter,” said Crisanto.

Demafelis’ last contact with her family was in May 2016. She told them she wanted to extend her stay in Kuwait.

Then 26 years old, Demafelis left the country for Kuwait on May 18, 2014 six months after super typhoon “Yolanda” struck.

She wanted to rebuild their house that “Yolanda” destroyed, according to her mother Eva.

“I can’t accept what happened to my daughter. This is too painful,” said Eva./PN
[/av_textblock]

[/av_one_full]