August 27, 2008

VILLAR HEARS MOTHER'S PLEA: OFW TO GET DECENT BURIAL

A mother’s plea promptly heard.

It was Senate President Manny Villar himself who heard yesterday the cry of a mother to bury her daughter, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) she lost in mysterious circumstances abroad.

After hearing Thelma Milo’s plea, OFW champion Villar has shouldered the funeral and burial expenses for Evelyn Milo who could not be buried due to lack of financial resources.

Milo, 24, a sales clerk whose remains arrived in the country last Aug. 19, reportedly committed suicide by jumping off a building in Abu Dhabi but her family is suspecting foul play. She is the eighth OFW who “committed suicide” in the Mideastern country since January.

The mother stressed that strangling signs, stab marks on her daughter’s chest, bruises on her legs, and swollen genitals could only point to foul play in her death. “Hinihintay namin ang autopsy report ng NBI na magpapatunay dito,” Thelma said.

Thelma pleaded yesterday for financial help on national TV (QTV’s Balitanghali) which Villar promptly responded to. Without knowing yet that the Senate President is arranging for the settlement of the burial costs, the OFW’s aunt, Anita Macalintal, yesterday went to Villar’s office to seek assistance.

The OFW’s family was surprised when the Senate President sent his staff to the wake yesterday night at Dagonoy Chapel in Barangay 733, Zone 80 in Singalong, Manila to inform them about Villar’s help. Funeral costs amounting to P23,000 was paid for by the office of Villar to the Ilagan Funeral last night.

“Labis po kaming nagpapasalamat sa agarang tulong ni Senate President Manny Villar. Dininig niya ang paghingi ko ng tulong para sa aking anak,” said Thelma Milo.

“Nagpapagaan ito sa aking pasanin habang inaalam ko ang tunay na nangyari sa kanya,” she said.