(Eagle News)—-The Department of Foreign Affairs said a Filipina household service worker died after she fell from the flat of her employer in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the DFA said based on a report from the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, the Filipina, whose name has been withheld pending notification of her next of kin, fell from the sixth-floor apartment in Madinah on Friday, April 27.
She was brought to the hospital at 3:30 p.m. but died due to head injuries, the DFA said.
According to Consul General Edgar Badajos, authorities are still investigating her death.
He said a team from the consulate has been deployed to coordinate with Saudi authorities.
The Filipina’s death comes amid tensions between the Philippines and another Middle Eastern country, Kuwait.
Kuwait has expelled Philippine ambassador Renato Villa and has recalled its representative in Manila in protest of Philippine Embassy officials’ alleged illegal rescue of abused Overseas Filipino Workers there.
According to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration deputy administrator Arnel Ignacio, the act is illegal if Kuwaiti authorities were not informed beforehand.
The DFA has described Kuwait’s move as “disturbing,” noting what it said was a meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Kuwaiti ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh, in which the latter gave the assurance OFWs would be protected, and the former assured the Philippines would respect Kuwait.
A total ban on the deployment of OFWS to Kuwait is in place after reported abuse of Filipino workers and tbe death of OFW Joanma Demafelis in the Middle Eastern country.
