MARIVELES, Bataan – Close kin here of a domestic helper in Abu Dhabi who allegedly died of suffocation appealed to government on Saturday to help them repatriate her body and possibly investigate the cause of her death.
Mary Jane Reyes, 32, who left barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles on February 2019 reportedly died while burning coal as a heater in the house of her employer in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2020.
The mother, Nancy Reyes, 51, said her last conversation with her daughter was on January 12, 2020. “Kinabukasan, Lunes, patay na daw ang anak ko. Nagulat ako,” she said.
She said that a niece also working in Abu Dhabi told her of the bad news. As to the cause of her death, she said “Suffocate daw ng usok ng uling. Nagpa-usok daw kasi malamig daw doon sa kanila.”
Nancy said she was informed that her daughter’s companion from another country working as a DH also died. She said she was surprised why her daughter so suddenly died of suffocation.
“Gusto ko mangyari talaga maka-uwi na siya itto kahit patay na siya para malaman kung ano sanhi ng ikinamatay niya,” the mother said.
Nancy claimed that earlier they still have contact with her daughter’s agency. “Dati nakikipag-usap pero ngayon parang ayaw nang makipag-usap,” she said.
“Nakikiusap po ako sa Pangulo natin na kung ano po ang magandang gawin kasi lahat nilapitan na itto . Hindi na po itto alam ang gagawin. Ma-iuwi sana ang bangkay niya itto. Sana maimbestigahan kung ano tunay na nangyari sa kanya doon. Bakit siya agad-agad namatay?,” the mother said.
The victim’s father, Efren Reyes, 54, also appealed to government. “Maiuwi po sana ang anak itto . Para sa nanunungkulan sa ating gobyerno, sana matulungan maiuwi bangkay ng anak ko.”
Jhonna Reyes, the victim’s eldest sister showed a text message of her sister to her live-in partner. The text said “Mahal kapag hindi niyo na ako makontak, pinutulan na ako ng net. Aalis na ako itto. Kung hindi ako kukunin ng agent ko tatakas ako.”
She said this was one reason why they wanted the investigation of the death of her sister.
