20 September 2005 – Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Jose S. Brillantes today announced that in response to an invitation from the Singapore Government, two pathologists are scheduled to leave for Singapore to observe in the autopsy to be performed on the remains of OFW Jane Parañgan Lapuebla.

Undersecretary Brillantes said that Dr. Cesar Bisquera, pathologist of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), will leave for Singapore at 6:00 tonight and that Dr. Raquel Fortun of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will leave for Singapore on Thursday, 22 September 2005, at 2:15 p.m.  The two pathologists will observe in the autopsy to be done on OFW Lapuebla’s remains later this week as part of the investigations into her murder.

The Undersecretary added that NBI Interpol Executive Director, Atty. Claro de Castro, is also slated to leave tonight with Dr. Bisquera to observe the conduct of the proceedings.

As the Philippine officials prepare to leave for Singapore,  Undersecretary Brillantes  reiterated the support of the DFA for the families of OFW Lapuebla and of the accused, OFW Guen Garlejo Aguilar. Other government agencies are also helping the two families: the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) is helping the Lapuebla family members with their daily subsistence and lodging; the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is handling the counseling for the family members; and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) brought the family from Nueva Ecija to Manila.

Undersecretary Brillantes earlier said that the DFA will assist Mr. Crusaldo Lapuebla, Jane’s husband, and Ms. Sally Parañgan, Jane’s aunt-guardian, in traveling to Singapore to pay their last respects to Jane and to fetch her remains so that Jane’s family could arrange for her funeral upon their return to the Philippines.

The DFA had earlier sent Mr. Edwin Aguilar, husband of the accused OFW Guen, to Singapore to lend support to his wife and attend the hearings.  The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has also hired one lawyer each to assist the families of the victim Lapuebla as well as the suspect Aguilar – in addition to the Singapore public prosecutors and the court-assigned defense attorneys.  (Please refer to press releases SFA-AGR-640-05, 646-05, 656-05, and 657-05)  END.