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| Aleli and Imee are shown in a photo shared on Facebook |
The Migrant Workers Office has said that the two Filipina domestic helpers who went missing on October 4 are still in Hong Kong, according to records from the SAR’s Immigration Department.
This was according to MWO Officer-in-charge Antonio
Villafuerte who told The SUN that the Consulate’s police attaché had received
the information from the Hong Kong Police upon a request.
On being given this information, Villafuerte said
the Consulate had proceeded to request Immigration to put the two Filipinas on
the lookout list.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
The information puts to rest persistent, though
unverified reports that 24-year-old Imee M. Pabuaya and 33-year-old Aleli P.
Tibay, had left Hong Kong, and are already in another country abroad,
particularly Poland. The two are said to be in a relationship.
“Mabuti nga
sana kung nakaalis sila dahil it
means they’re safe, but this is not the case,” said Villafuerte, who
added the Consulate as well as the Department of Migrant Workers in the
Philippines remain concerned about the two’s whereabouts and safety.
He said DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac had contacted him directly after learning about the missing migrant workers.
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Villafuerte confirmed that the two had valid
employment visas when they were reported missing, and that the Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration had been in touch with their employers, as well as their
family members.
He said Imee had been in Hong Kong for just over a
year, as only those aged 24 years old and above are allowed to work abroad as
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs); while Aleli had worked here for some time.
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| Surveillance photo from Oct 4 showed the two did not seem dressed for hiking |
Villafuerte also doused speculation that the two had
gotten lost while hiking, saying the photo taken by a surveillance camera in
the afternoon
of Oct 4 while they were standing on Yeung Uk Road in Tsuen Wan indicated they
were not dressed for this activity.
Imee
was shown wearing a dark blue denim top,
matching denim shorts, and white shoes while Aleli was wearing a light blue long-sleeved shirt, light blue jeans and
white shoes.
The police had also reportedly called off searching for the two Filipinas along the Lung Min hiking trail in Tsuen Wan, which started on Saturday afternoon, amid concerns they had lost their way and were stranded in the area.
The force is now said to be assessing their next step in searching for the two.
“We remain concerned about their safety and are coordinating with the police as they continue to investigate the case,” said Villafuerte.
He reiterated an earlier advice from the Philippine Consulate about posting unverified information about the two as these could derail the efforts to locate them.
