DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola’s pronouncements on Wednesday presented to us a fuller picture of the Duterte regime’s priorities. Arriola’s own mouth condemns her for spending more time on social media to do intelligence work for the tyrannical Duterte regime instead of urgently delivering the amelioration demanded by our starving OFWs. Leveling up as an attack dog for her inept master, Arriola went to the extent of lying just to hurl cyberlibel and jail threats against distressed OFWs. None of the OFWs who uploaded the video were actually arrested and they reject Arriola’s claims as utter lies meant to intimidate our kababayans into silence.
How can DFA claim that dumpster-diving OFWs were merely resorting to ‘theatrics’ and that everything was staged when Jeffrey Yape, one of the fellow workers of scavenging OFWs died without receiving any substantial help from the agencies of the Duterte government? Before he died, Yape was struck with terrible agony over the government’s criminal negligence that they have been facing.
Migrante International would like to remind Arriola that her position in DFA mandates her to help ensure the welfare and security of OFWs. That should be the top priority of the Duterte government’s DFA. If DFA’s main agenda is to serve as a damage controller for the abusive employers of exploited OFWs, then it would be better for Arriola and all the rest of DFA officials who have the same idiotic frame of mind to resign from their posts and apply as public relations officers for those employers and companies who have been depriving our kababayans of their salaries and benefits.
The Duterte regime despises the truth that is why it is hell-bent on imposing its rubbish Terror Bill to suppress outspoken OFWs and propagate the government’s own lies and theatrics. Filipinos need not go far to see how the Duterte regime is treating OFWs. One only has to see and hear the plight of stranded OFW repatriates who ended up sleeping along pavements, roads and bridges leading to NAIA’s airports. Garbage-like treatment of OFWs is real. We will never forget and we will never forgive! We warn the Duterte regime that the time of reckoning will come!