LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap called on the foreign affairs department to conduct an in-depth investigation on the real cause of death of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) from Atok town who was earlier reported to have committed suicide in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Yap, who chairs the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, is closely coordinating with Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Ariola and the Philippine Consulate in the UAE for the completion of the details on the cause of death of Elreen Ann Sano Banisa, a native of Km. 24 Caliking, Atok and for the immediate repatriation of her remains for her to be given the traditional wake and burial by her family.
The lawmaker took time to visit the family of the deceased OFW recently where he assured the family that he will take care of the educational needs of the victim’s young child who plans to be a doctor until college in memory of her late mother who went abroad to work as a sales lady to help her family.
Congressman Yap requested the foreign affairs department to look into allegations of foul play in the OFW’s untimely demise to help clear doubts on the real cause of her death in the foreign land.
Earlier, Banisa’s mother, Irene Sano Banisa, wrote Congressman Yap seeking for help for the immediate repatriation of her daughter’s remains and for the conduct of the appropriate investigation to ascertain the real cause of her death in UAE.
Congressman Yap also assured the victim’s family that efforts will be done to help in immediately repatriating her remains back to Atok so that she will be given the traditional wake and burial.
Banisa, who has a young child whom she left with her parents to take care, reportedly committed suicide as earlier reported at the Orchid Tower in Alnhada Shariah, UAE.
Yap suspects that there might be a possibility that the deceased OFW was taken advantage against her will before she was killed, thus, the need for the conduct of the re-investigation to ascertain the real cause of her death.
“We are now closely coordinating with concerned agencies for the immediate repatriation of the remains of Elreen and for her to be brought home to Atok for her family to be able to observe the wake and burial that will be accorded to her,” Congressman Yap stressed.
Yap was mad about what happened to the victim, saying that going to work overseas is putting in danger the lives of Filipinos as they are supposed to be in the foreign land to work just to earn the needed income that will help in uplifting the living condition of their families.
“Labag man sa loob nila ay iniwan nila ang kanilang pamilya dito, bitbit ang pag-asang mabigyan sila ng magandang buhay,” the solon added.
He stated that Elreen took the risk of being away from her family to work and be able to provide the needs of her young child and it is unfortunate that the boy lost his father and now his mother which is a very difficult situation on his part to be able to hurdle the difficulties of life.
“Nakakadurog ng puso, hindi deserve ng kahit sinong dumaan sa ganitong pagsubok lalo na at napakabata pa niya. Kaya lahat ng kailangan niya ay ibibigay ko. Kahit paano gusto kung punuan and malaking parte ng buhay niya na hindi mapapalitan. Nandiyan yung mga lolo at lola niya, pero hanggang kailan? Gusto kung makatulong na mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan ang bata. ‘Yan ang pangako ko.,” Yap asserted. By HENT