DFA chief asked to look into Cotabato office's lapses

ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Yap is prodding Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teddy “Boy” Locsin Jr. to look into the possible lapses or shenanigans of personnel detailed at DFA-Cotabato after the solon received complaints from a distressed overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

In an impromptu press conference Thursday at the House of Representatives, Yap presented the case of Rizelyn Andoy who last year was reportedly issued a passport by DFA-Cotabato despite having fake documents.

Andoy, of Compostela Valley, told House reporters that she was recruited by a local agency named Jimbel to work as a domestic helper in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

However, since she was only 20 years old at that time, Andoy used a fake birth certificate which made her appear as a 24-year-old. Failing to detect this, DFA-Cotabato issued her a passport.

She said that 21 years old is the minimum age accepted for overseas domestic helpers.

Yap expressed bewilderment as to how a fake birth certificate managed to slip past the particular office DFA office. He went on to appeal to Secretary Locsin to "take a look at what's happening" at DFA-Cotabato.

“Ayaw ko silang (DFA-Cotabato) pagbintangan pero kung maalala niyo may mga Indonesian na nakakuha ng Filipino passport di ba? Sa Cotabato po yun (I don't want to point fingers but if you can recall, some Indonesians were able to acquire Filipino passports right? That was in Cotabato)," he noted.

Yap, chairman of the House Committee on Games and Amusements, said such lapses could mean that Filipino minors are being sent to work abroad, sometimes under abusive employers.

"Sa akin po, ang passport po, hindi ito basta-basta papel lang. Nandirito nakasalalay ang kaligtasan at buhay ng isang tao. Kung ito ay pepekehin lamang, ano ang kinabukasan na nagaantay sa isang menor de edad sa ibang bansa (For me a passport is not just a piece of paper. The safety of a person's life depends on it. If you're just going to fake it, what kind of fate awaits a minor in a foreign land)?" he said.

Andoy sought assistance from ACT-CIS after being passed like a ball between four different employers in a 10-month span. She said she would usually work for long hours, at times with no food.

Worse, Andoy said she worked for these employers sans a contract, and that one of them even tried to abuse her sexually.

ACT-CIS was the top vote-getter among party-lists during last May's midterm elections, having enjoyed huge support from OFWs.