Bishops back Duterte in probe of OFW recruitment agencies

BALANGA CITY — The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on the Welfare of Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI) on Tuesday expressed full support to the decision of President Duterte to investigate recruitment agencies of overseas Filipino workers.

Duterte made the order following the death of Joanna Demafelis and other reported abuses against OFWs.

“We support and appreciate the decision of the President that the recruitment agency of Joanna be investigated but it should include all placement and recruitment agencies of which our OFWs have suffered, abused and victimized by their employers,” Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos, CBCP–ECMI chair, said.

The prelate said the job of recruitment and placement agencies is not just to send Filipinos to work abroad.

“It is their responsibility that OFWS are justly and very humanely treated and contract strictly followed and respected,” the bishop said.

Santos urged government to investigate, prosecute and punish placement and recruitment agencies which are amiss, negligent and abusive.

The bishop also asked that proper monitoring of the conditions of OFWs not only in Kuwait but in all other countries be instituted.