OFW assaulted by foreign man in Singapore mall
A foreign man was caught on video kicking a Filipino woman at a popular Singapore mall.
The viral video, taken by a bystander, caught a foreign man and an overseas Filipino worker talking. After a few moments, the man was seen kicking the woman on the side, and both falling to the floor as a result. While the woman was still lying on her side, the man got up and attempted to kick her in the face, which the OFW managed to dodge. At this point, other mall-goers stepped in and stopped the man from attacking the woman again, with at least one shopping basket being hurled at the man.
According to the Department of Migrant Workers, the labor attaché of the Philippines in Singapore has already spoken with the OFW and advised of the assistance she is entitled to as a Filipino.
"Nag-uusap na 'yung ating Migrant Office Workers Labor Attaché in Singapore atsaka 'yung worker," said DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac in a report by 24 Oras.
"Sa ngayon, inaalam pa natin 'yung exact cause nu'ng pangyayari. And of course, medical assistance is the most basic there. So 'yung pangangailangan ng medical assistance. And then, of course, 'yung filing of a complaint. Our lawyer will stand ready to help her," he added.
While the OFW has relayed the details of the incident to the labor attaché, the agency has yet to release the information to the public. However, DMW asserts there is no space for physical violence, especially against OFWs.
"It's assault. Physical assault, 'di ba? It's a crime anywhere in the world...especially in Singapore. We definitely are looking into it and filing, taking the necessary legal action," said Cacdac.
In its statement released on Feb. 11 regarding the incident, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore said it's giving the victim the assistance she needs. It added that the embassy is still determining the man's citizenship.
"The Embassy, through the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is taking appropriate measures and has reached out to the victim to provide the necessary assistance," it said.
"We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain in contact with the victim to help ensure her safety and well-being. At this stage, we are mindful not to disclose details that could inadvertently affect ongoing measures or aggravate the situation," added the embassy.
