Victim’s hubby gives up hope on justice Says RP embassy in UAE useless Burgos, Ilocos Norte—Esperanza Andres-Ancheta, 34 years old, married but childless, had been dead since August 17, 2005, reportedly from suicide after she allegedly leapt to her death from the 17th floor of a building in Abu Dhabi City, United Arab Emirates. As much as she had been dead for more than two months, it was only on October 23, 2005 that her remains had been brought back to the country, particularly in her hometown. According to the victim’s husband, Danilo Ancheta, 42 years old, he only learned of her wife’s death on September 1, 2005, or 18 days after Esperanza’s death. It was the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) based in San Fernando City, La Union, which informed him of the tragic news. However, in relaying the information to him, DFA officials said Esperanza died because of an accident. Sometime later however, Esperanza’s employers stated that she committed suicide by jumping off a building after she panicked when an earthquake jolted the Middle East emirate city. As there had been conflicting information on how Esperanza died, Danilo was adamant about the employers’ explanation as he reasoned that his wife’s lifeless body did not bear any traces of having fallen off the 17th floor of a building. He further elaborated that there had been no broken bones or scars in his wife’s remains which would make the account of her death by leaping off a building quite far-fetched. But Danilo, who is also a former OFW, said, in an interview with The Ilocos Times that he would no longer ask for an autopsy on his wife’s remains, which would have cleared up what caused her death. The reason for this, he said was because the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi would not be able to do anything to solve, or even give light, to the “mysterious” death of his wife. “The Philippine Embassy could not even help those who ate alive; how much more could they help those that have died, such as my wife?” Danilo replied to queries if he would ask the government to investigate Esperanza’s death deeper. For now, he said, all he wanted was to for his wife’s personal belongings that had been left abroad be returned here and for the benefits Esperanza are supposed to be given be realized for him to be able to start his life all over again and to rise from this sad episode of his life. As he had been a former OFW for four years, Danilo attested to the sad fact that many OFWs had been stranded in Saudi Arabia and who had been pleading for assistance from the Philippine Embassy there but the government office could not provide any help to them. Among the problems, he said, OFWs encountered and to which the Philippine government had been helpless include employers’ maltreatment and abuses such as rape, torture, and the non-giving of salaries. In 1999, Danilo was able to leave Saudi Arabia as he followed Esperanza, who was then in Dubai. In 2001, the couple decided to return home to the country to try and raise a family. The child the couple has always longed for however was not given to them. As the country’s economic fortunes took a turn for the worse, Esperanza once again decided to work abroad, and on March 17, 2005, she left for Abu Dhabi. Several months later, she was dead. During her stay in Abu Dhabi, Danilo said his wife managed to call him at least thrice a month, wherein she related that she frequently argued with her Arabian employer, whom she said was very strict and she even restricted her to go out of the house and to stop calling her family. Danilo added that Esperanza was only able to call him if her employer was out of the house. Apprised of the situation, Danilo advised Esperanza to immediately come home, but the latter said she can endure her employer and wait for the end of her contract in Abu Dhabi. Esperanza’s remains were flown into the province through the assistance of Burgos Councilor Joegie Jimenez, whom Danilo had requested for assistance. Jimenez, in turn, asked the help of Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., who talked to the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) to facilitate the return of Esperanza’s remains to the country. “I am indebted to all the people who had helped me recover my wife’s remains, especially to Councilor Joegie Jimenez and Sen. Bong Revilla. Without them, I would not have been able to find assistance from OWWA as an ordinary citizen like me would not easily be heard by government agencies who are supposed to be at the forefront of serving those who are in need like me,” Danilo stressed in Iluko. Leilanie G. Adriano
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