Dubai: Philippines consulate officials have confirmed the death of a Filipina expatriate whose father had requested help to locate her after pictures were circulated on social media saying she had been killed.
Word of Lenlie Oliverio’s death circulated on Facebook through a post bearing the 25-year-old’s picture and a text that read: “Justice for Lenlie Silpao Oliverio”, followed by a caption that said Lenlie was brutally murdered in Dubai.
Lenlie’s father, Eddie, 45, a fisherman based in the Philippines, stumbled upon the Facebook post through his neighbours. He appealed to authorities for help on Monday.
On Wednesday, his fears were officially confirmed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Bacolod in central Philippines.
“We travelled four hours by land to Bacolod to seek help from DFA. We didn’t know what to do any more. We didn’t know where else to go. They confirmed to us that they will help us,” Eddie, 45, a father of eight, told Gulf News in a phone interview from the Philippines.
“All that we want now is the immediate repatriation of the remains of our daughter,” he said, adding that Lenlie’s two children, aged 10 and 5, are still distraught after hearing the news.
Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes said, as per protocol, the consulate cannot directly relay information to the next-of-kin of victims through the phone unless in emergency situations. He said his office constantly updated the DFA in Manila and Bacolod, which then met with the Oliverio family personally to convey the message.
Cortes added that Lenlie’s cause of death is still under police investigation.
“We are in constant touch with Dubai Police, monitoring the situation and awaiting their official report on whatever happened to Ms Oliverio,” Cortes told Gulf News.
“The body is with the CID [Criminal Investigation Department] mortuary. As far as repatriation of remains is concerned, the [Philippine] government always helps. But we have to wait till the body is released and the results of the autopsy are out,” he added.
In Gulf News’ earlier report, Lenlie’s body was believed to have been found in the flat where she was staying in International City. Tenants of the building said she had multiple stab wounds.
Filipino migrants rights group Migrante Middle East, which reported Lenlie’s case to the consulate, said: “We denounce the brutal murder of our fellow OFW, Lenlie Silpao Olivero. We are calling the attention of our embassy/consulate to bring justice to her family. Lastly, we share our grief with the family.”
