MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 16, 2013) – The body of a Filipina pastry chef who was found dead inside the Philippine Embassy shelter in Bahrain has arrived in Manila on Tuesday and claimed by her grieving family.
Kathleen Ann Ilagan, 31, was reported to have committed suicide while in the shelter, but her family disputed the police report in Bahrain and has asked Philippine authorities to investigate her death.
John Leonard Monterona, a regional coordinator of the Migrante-Middle East, said Ilagan’s remains was flown by Gulf Airlines and that her sister Micheileen confirmed to him the arrival of the body.
“The Ilagan family doubted the police report they received from the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain that OFW Kathleen committed suicide as they seriously cast doubt on the circumstances surrounding her death.”
“The family said she could not have fatally hanged herself from the doorknob which is only waist-high. Secondly, there was no clothesline or any source at the Embassy-shelter that would provide a cord for hanging, and thirdly, there could or should have been other persons or security personnel at the Embassy’s shelter who could have witnessed the incident if indeed she hanged herself,” Monterona said.
Ilagan’s sister also said that along the remains of Ilagan inside the casket were a death certificate and the police report, and other documents related to repatriation formalities. However, there was no autopsy report.
Monterona said the Ilagan family is poised to have the body autopsied. “Yes po, meron po kaming plan na ipa-autopsy. Aayusin po namin,” Monterona quoted Ilagan’s sister as saying.
Monterona said he, too, was puzzled by the swift repatriation of Ilagan’s remains. “We could certainly notice the time difference in the repatriation formalities between an OFW remains on mysterious death case and to natural death due to illness or due to accident of an OFW abroad. The former will only take 2 to 3 days, while usually remains repatriation will take at least three months to a maximum of 6 months,” he said.
“There is really something wrong why the Philippine Embassy did not thoroughly probe her death. Is there something they need to cover up?” he asked.
Monterona said the Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain will have a lot of explaining to do in connection with the death of the Filipina. “We demand the recall of Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain and the caretaker of its shelter. All embassy and labor officials in Philippine Embassy in Bahrain should be investigated,” he said.
There was no immediate statement from the Philippine Embassy or Ambassador Maria Corazon Bahjin about the allegations. (Mindanao Examiner)
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