OFW Mary Jane Bitos and six other acquitted Filipinos today came to the Department of Foreign Affairs to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to Foreign Affairs Secretary Ople for the assistance rendered by the Department when they were in jail in Kuwait in connection with the murder of Luc Ethier, a Canadian national.

On 01 April 2003, Bitos and her co-accused, Teddy Tomaro, Jaime Binuya, Rosaila Baclig, Noraisa Esick, Lourdes Viray and Edgar Robea were acquitted of the murder charges set against them by the Court of Cassation of Kuwait (equivalent to the Supreme Court in the Philippines).  They were repatriated to Manila on 29 April 2003.

The case dates back to October 2001 when Vice President Teofisto Guingona was still Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Then Secretary Guingona ordered the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait to extend full legal and other assistance to all of the accused especially Mary Jane Bitos who sustained two gunshot wounds during the attack on her husband.

Secretary Ople, upon assuming office, pursued the effort to help the OFWs through to its successful conclusion.

"I would like to encourage other OFWs who are having difficulties abroad to seek the help of our embassies because they are in the best position to help us," Bitos told the DFA.

Secretary Ople appreciated the offer of Mary Jane Bitos and six other Filipinos to help the government through its various embassies and posts abroad to promote closer ties with Filipino communities.  The Secretary said that the DFA will cooperate with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Social Work and Development in tapping Bitos and other returning OFWs in advocacy programs related to OFWs.

"They can serve as resource persons in pre-departure seminars for Filipinos about to leave the country for jobs in the Middle East because they are familiar with the work environment there," Ople said.  - END