FILIPINOS working in Bahrain and other Gulf countries are being urged to be extra cautious when they fly home, after the body of a woman was found in a suitcase on Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
The GDN reported on Friday that the victim, Nidzmar Bahjin, 20, had arrived in the Philippines from Bahrain.
It has since emerged that she was actually working in Oman and had only transited through Bahrain International Airport, a spokeswoman for the Philippine Embassy told the GDN yesterday.
However, an organisation set up to protect Filipinos abroad has warned that people face increased risk when they fly into the Philippines - where they are potential targets for criminal gangs.
Migrante International's Middle East regional co-ordinator Leonard Monterona said they are viewed as potential prey, since they often carry money with them.
"OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) in the Gulf are very much concerned about the security situation when they return home," he revealed.
"When they fly back, they often have money on their person from working overseas and this makes them an easy target and victims of gangs working at the airport.
"Security needs to be stepped up in the Philippines to protect workers from the criminal elements working around the airport.
"The authorities have lapsed on (security) measures."
The remains of Ms Bahjin were found stuffed in a suitcase in a car park at the airport and initial police findings indicated the victim had strangulation marks on her neck.
According to media reports, the suitcase was found in the car park at terminal two of the airport - out of range of security cameras.
The woman arrived on a plane from Bahrain at 3pm on Tuesday and Mr Monterona described it as the worst case of a Filipino being attacked upon returning home.
"There have been cases of some OFWs trying to commit suicide on their return, but this is a cold-blooded murder where the killers have put her body back into her own suitcase," Mr Monterona said.
Protection
Mr Monterona said the security at foreign airports was often much better than that in the Philippines.
"We are only urging the Philippines government to provide better protection for them (Filipinos returning home)," he said.
"It is up to the police to investigate the crime and reduce the crime rate around that area.
"Such events send a chill and induce fear among OFWs coming home and we try to do our best to protect them from such criminal acts."
The motives for the killing of Ms Bahjin were still unclear.
alicia@gdn.com.bh
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