MANILA, Philippines –  The alleged recruiter of Joanna Demafelis on Thursday, March 1, apologized to the slain worker’s family, saying she would not have wanted her to end up dead in Kuwait as she was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) herself.

In a news briefing in Camp Crame after she was presented by police to the media, Agnes Tuballes clarified that she only referred Demafelis to her recruiters. She was asked to give her message to the Demafelis family.

Her message: “Nakikiramay po ako sa pamilya ni Joanna, at saka di ko rin po ginusto ‘yung nangyari. Sana kung pumunta kayo ng that time (when Joanna was missing) na ganon pala, andon na ako. Sana naagahan natin ang pagdetect kay Joanna, na ganoon na pala katagal ang pagkamatay niya. Pero wala din kayong ginawang aksyon para puntahan ako,” a teary-eyed Tuballes said.

(I condole with the family of Joanna, and I myself did not want what happened. If you had come to me that time [when Joanna was missing], I would’ve been there. We could have acted earlier to detect Joanna, that she had been dead for quite some time.  But you also did not take any action to reach me.)

“Nakikiusap po ako sa inyo, patawad. Hindi ko naman gusto ang nangyari sa kanya kasi ako po OFW din po (I appeal to you, forgive me. I also didn’t want what happened to her because I am an OFW myself),” she added.

Her involvement: Tuballes referred Demafelis to Our Lady of Mt Carmel Global E-Human Resources, Incorporated, the registered recruitment agency at that time that deployed Demafelis to Kuwait.

It was not  a simple friendly referral. Tuballes was working with a certain Kuwait-based Ara Midtimbang who asked her to look for OFW recruits. Tuballes was promised P5,000 for each referral, but was given P13,000 for Demafelis.

After Demafelis was deployed by Mt Carmel, Tuballes said she lost contact with her.

Police are currently tracking where Midtimbang is, but Tuballes clarified that another Kuwait-based recruiter handled Demafelis’ case.

Tuballes voluntarily surrendered to police after media reports flashing her as Demafelis’ alleged recruiter triggered a deluge of hate messages to her and her family. – Rappler.com