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DFA: No foul play seen in death of Filipina OFW in Hong Kong
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), citing initial investigation, sees no foul play surrounding the case of a Filipino woman found dead in a Hong Kong pier last week. (File Photo By Patrick Roque, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), citing initial investigation, sees no foul play surrounding the case of a Filipino woman found dead in a Hong Kong pier last week.
In a Laging Handa briefing Tuesday, DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Raymund Cortes said local authorities have yet to release the official cause of the overseas Filipino worker’s death but no person of interest has been identified since the start of the probe.
“According to initial investigation wala pong (there is no) foul play being looked at but of course we have to wait for the official report on the cause of death. For now wala naman pong foul play, wala naman pong person of interest thus far (For now there is no foul play and there is no person of interest thus far),” he said.
Cortes said the body was under state of decomposition and was entangled in nets when discovered by the locals on the morning of July 13 in Tsing Yi Public Pier.
He said Hong Kong authorities have mounted a full investigation and the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong is now waiting for the release of the official report and relevant documents to be able to facilitate the repatriation of her remains.
Cortes assured that both the employer and next of kin of the Filipina are also informed of the circumstances behind her death.
“Both the DFA and the Department of Migrant Workers are in touch with the families together with the employers para malaman kung anong kailangan pang makuha na salaries o hindi pa nababayarang suweldo. ‘Yong mga gamit ay iuuwi na rin ng employer para sa pamilya sa Pilipinas (to get her salaries from her employer. Her employer will likewise return her belongings to her family in the Philippines),” he said.
