Alleged Victims Confirm ‘Sex-for-Flight’ Scheme, Says DFA

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Monday that three alleged victims, including one who accused a Philippine labor attaché of sexual molestation, in the “sex for flight” scandal in Manila’s diplomatic posts in the Middle East have come forward in a sweeping government investigation, Gma News Online reported Monday.

According to the report, Del Rosario has announced that the probe has been expanded to include its diplomatic posts in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, where a large concentration of Filipinos working mostly as domestic helpers are based.

A labor official posted at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was recalled Monday to face an investigation after being accused of sexually molesting a female Filipino worker sheltered in the chancery’s halfway house, Del Rosario said. He added that the DFA is looking into the involvement of several other personnel who allegedly committed the same offense, Gma news online stated.

“As of today, he has been recalled and he will be investigated when he arrives,” said Del Rosario, quoted as saying in a press conference. He added that “There are instances where it looks like the official was trying to elicit favors for being provided a ticket.”

The report added that the official, who was not identified by Del Rosario, was the first embassy personnel to have been tagged in the scandal outside Kuwait, Syria and Jordan – the three posts earlier named by party-list Rep. Walden Bello as having the most number of incidents of sexual abuses committed by Philippine officials against distressed Filipinos staying in embassy shelters.

According to the online news, Del Rosario has said that certain allegations were confirmed and this was accomplished by three witnesses from Riyadh coming forward and providing the DFA with their testimony.

However, “until such time other victims and witnesses are able to come forward, all other allegations will remain as allegations to be further investigated,” del Rosario has said according to Gma news online.

Source: gma news.tv, gma news online