The Commission on Human Rights is alarmed and deeply saddened by the recent case of maltreatment of three Filipina overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were allegedly sexually assaulted by their employer in Jeddah and passed on to different employers to do odd jobs for a fee.

Rape and other forms of sexual harassment, cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment are some of the realities faced by many migrant women workers. Recent incidences of maltreatment of migrant workers by labor receiving-states, warrant a thorough investigation by all parties, agencies and departments mandated by law to safeguard the welfare of all OFWs.

The Migrant Workers’ Act (RA 10022) obligates the government to only deploy OFWs to countries where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected. The Commission, pursuant to its mandate of monitoring the government’s compliance to laws and treaties that pertain to the protection of Filipino migrant workers’ rights, urges expedient action on this incident and yet again stresses the need for the Philippine government to review labor agreements with different countries to guarantee non-repetition of incidences of maltreatment and improve working conditions.