Knowing that her daughter knew about self defense, mother of slain overseas Filipino worker Jocelyn Dulnuan in Canada believed that there could be more than one person who stabbed and caused the bruises on Jocelyn’s body.

BY AUBREY MAKILAN
Bulatlat
MIGRANT WATCH
Vol. VII, No. 37, October 21-27, 2007

Knowing that her daughter knew about self defense, mother of slain overseas Filipino worker Jocelyn Dulnuan in Canada believed that there could be more than one person who stabbed and caused the bruises on Jocelyn’s body.

Sad homecoming

In white and black clothes, family members and relatives have waited for Jocelyn’s remains at the PAIR-PAGS Center of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The first ones to arrive included husband Sandy Kinnud, followed by mother Godeliva Dulnuan and other relatives. Kinnud got irritated when he could not find representatives from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to facilitate the claiming of his wife’s body. “Ako pa ang papupuntahin nila hindi ko nga alam kung saan,” (Because they are not here, I would have to look for them even if I don’t know where their office is.) he said, asking Migrante International officers who are there if they have seen the OWWA personnel. Kinnud said someone from OWWA sent him a text message that he needed to sign papers for the release of the remains of his wife.

The Korean Airlines flight KE 621 that carried her remains arrived before the estimated time of arrival at 11 a.m. The box bearing Jocelyn’s casket was fork lifted to a van that will bring her to the Funeraria Nacional in Manila. Mrs. Dulnuan, who was in hysteria for a while, did not leave her daughter until the preparation and defrost of the remains at the funeral parlor.

A minor conflict

Aside from Mrs. Dulnuan, only the male relatives observed the defrosting and preparation of the remains. A relative said they could not bear the pain of seeing the wounded and bruised body of their loved one.

One of the observers, Jonathan Panlilio of Migrante International, said that the remains bore several stabbed wounds on the chest, and bruises in many parts of the body including the neck, knee, arms and legs.

Seeing the horrifying fate of her daughter, Mrs. Dulnuan said there could be more than one killer. She said she could not believe that only one person can do all of these considering that Jocelyn, a criminology graduate, somehow knew self defense.

Meanwhile, a relative said there some disagreements ensued while Jocelyn’s body was being prepared. The embalmer put plasters over the stab wounds and wrapped the body with plastic eliciting complaints from the relatives. The embalmer said the plastic would hold the moist that the frozen body produced but the relatives argued it was not their practice of burying their dead. The relatives replied that they would have to remove the plasters and the plastic when they perform their rituals as part of their culture in Hingyon, Ifugao.

From the funeral parlor, Jocelyn’s body was brought to Ifugao.

Benefits

Mrs. Dulnuan thanked the Filipino Community in Canada who helped raise funds for the repatriation of the remains of Jocelyn. She also thanked OFW groups in Hong Kong, the government, and the media for the support in her daughter’s case.

Relacion Crescente, executive director of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), confirmed that apart from the DFA, contributions for the repatriation also came from the Filipino community in Canada and the Ontario government.

Jocelyn, a live-in caregiver, was found dead at the basement quarters of a mansion in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on Oct. 1.

Crescente said their assistance to Jocelyn’s family consisted of the repatriation of the body and the coordination with the Canadian police regarding the case.  

But government officials are mum on the benefits the Dulnuan family can get from OWWA.

OWWA administrator Marianito Roque earlier said that since Jocelyn was not an OWWA member at the time of her death, it was the DFA which helped in the repatriation of her remains. OWWA records showed that Dulnuan's membership which was processed in July 2005 already lapsed in July 2007. Jocelyn first worked in Hong Kong, where her 58-year old mother Godeliva works as a domestic helper until now, before moving to Canada.

When asked by reporters regarding the benefits due to the family, Crescente said that his agency assists “OFWs in distress” abroad and not those inside the country. He instead pointed to the local government of Ifugao which could probably assist Jocelyn’s family.

Justice

Jocelyn’s family is hoping that justice will be served in Jocelyn’s case.

Crescente said that Canadian police would not disclose details of their investigation so as not to jeopardize its results. But he said that the police have leads already.

Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International chairperson said that the Arroyo government must ensure that Jocelyn’s killers are brought to justice. “All legal and diplomatic avenues should be exerted so that her death does not become another statistic in a list of unsolved murder cases.” Migrante records showed there are least 23 cases of unsolved murders against Filipinos abroad since 2002. Most of these involved domestic workers who often toil in isolated and very vulnerable conditions.

Aside from the killers, Bragas-REgalado said that "all those responsible for Jocelyn's death must be prosecuted and imprisoned immediately - that includes Philippine government officials guilty of criminal neglect when it comes to addressing cases of abuse and foul play against Filipino migrant workers.” Bulatlat