Migrante Cries for Justice for Murdered Pinay, Blames Arroyo for ‘Criminal Neglect’ of OFWs

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PUBLISHED ON April 8, 2008 AT 12:23 PM

MIGRANTE-Japan condemns the gruesome murder of Honiefaith Ratilla Kamiosawa, a 22-year old Filipina whose body was found mutilated in an apartment located in Tokyo’s Minato district on April 4, 2008. We demand that justice be served for the victim and her family.

Only recently, another Filipina was murdered by her Japanese husband along with the couple’s 8-month old baby. And late last year, a Filipina was almost burned to death when her live-in partner, also a Japanese, poured kerosene over her body and set her on fire.

We condemn these heinous crimes committed against fellow migrant Filipinos because these crimes have no place in a civilized society, and they happened at a time when foreign migrants in Japan are being portrayed as criminals to justify government’s continued crackdown on “overstays”.

We are outraged that Honiefaith’s life had to end this early and under such horrible circumstances. Her death reminds us of our plight as migrant Filipinos and how vulnerable we are to various forms of violence and abuse in the host country.

Honiefaith came to Japan to escape poverty in the Philippines. It is now ironic that what she deemed would help uplift her economic condition would also be the cause of her untimely death.

We hold the Arroyo government accountable for Honiefaith’s death and for the sufferings of many ordinary Filipinos, including migrants like us and our families back home. We blame the government for mismanaging our economy and failure in governance, for massive corruption, and for the criminal neglect of migrant Filipinos around the world.

Finally, we condole with Honiefaith’s family and the family of other victims of heinous crimes committed against overseas Filipinos. We commit ourselves to continue fighting for migrants’ rights and to pursue justice for all victims of crimes committed against the Filipino people.###

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