Domestic Worker OFW jumps to her death from 7th floor condo with umbrella

A Filipino migrant rights group is urging the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia to investigate the death of an unidentified overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who supposedly jumped out of the window of her employer’s condominium unit on the 7th floor of a building using an umbrella as a parachute to escape.

John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, cited a report posted on the Saudi Gazette website last Wednesday September 1.

The news item said the incident transpired Tuesday on Sultana Street in Madina, Saudi Arabia.

Witnesses said the umbrella used by the domestic worker “failed to open at the right moment and the maid came crashing down on the pavement to die instantly.”

Eyewitnesses added that the domestic worker first tossed out a bag containing her clothes and jumped with the umbrella in her hand.

Her employer, the news report said, who is known only by his initials M.O., said the building’s guard told him about the incident and said he found the umbrella hanging on the balcony. A knife used by the maid to open the tightly closed window was also found, he said.

At the request of the maid’s family, the employer said, she was buried at Baqe’e Al-Gargad in the Prophet’s City.

“Concerned fellow OFWs have called me last week and informed us about the death of a domestic worker who reportedly jumped to her death from the window of her employer’s flat on a higher floor of a building,” Monterona said.

However, Monterona pointed out the informants failed to identify the nationality and name of the victim upon his further query.

“Until we have read the news report from a local news website which we suspect is about the unconfirmed reports of what we have been receiving as the circumstances of her death are the same as what have been told to me last week by concerned fellow OFWs,” Monterona said.

“It is of particular interest and concern to us because of the unclear circumstances leading to the migrant worker’s death, aside from the need to establish the victim’s identity; what forced the worker to jump out of the building that led to her unfortunate death must be investigated and primarily established,” he said.

Monterona said Migrante-ME welfare case officers have handled cases of the same nature in the past involving abused and maltreated OFWs jumping from the building in their vain attempt to escape from abusive employers only to discover later from relative’s complaining that there was foul play involved. Source: Roy C. Mabasa, MB.com.ph

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