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Murder of Jullebee Ranara

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Murder of Jullebee Ranara
Jullebee Ranara
DateJanuary 21, 2023 (2023-01-21)
LocationAl-Salmi Road, Kuwait
TypeKilling
MotiveUnknown
Deaths1 (Jullebee Ranara)
ConvictedTurki Ayed Al-Azmi[1]
Convictions
  • Murder
  • driving without license
Sentence15 years of imprisonment (murder)
1 year of imprisonment (driving)

Jullebee Cabilis Ranara (July 17, 1988 – January 21, 2023)[a] was an Overseas Filipino Worker who was found dead in the desert on January 21, 2023, in Kuwait. She was reportedly raped, murdered, burnt and thrown in the desert.[4] The death revived public discourse on the plight of Filipino migrant workers living in Kuwait.

Background

Jullebee Ranara

Jullebee Ranara
Born
Jullebee Cabilis Ranara

(1988-07-17)July 17, 1988
DiedJanuary 21, 2023(2023-01-21) (aged 34)
Al-Salmi Desert, Kuwait
Resting placeLas Piñas, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
OccupationDomestic worker

Jullebee Cabilis Ranara was a 34-year old woman and an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was serving as a domestic worker for her last employer in Kuwait.[5] Ranara got employed through the facilitation of Philippine-based employment agency Catalist International Manpower Services Company and its overseas counterpart in Kuwait, Platinum International Office for Recruitment of Domestic Manpower.[6][7]

Death

She was found dead buried in the desert near Al-Salmi Road on January 21, 2023.[8] Her corpse was found burnt with her head smashed. An autopsy by Kuwait authorities determined she was pregnant at the time of her death.[9] She was allegedly murdered and raped.[10][11]

She reportedly called her family shortly prior to her death expressing that she was afraid of her employer's 17-year old son.[5]

Her family have refused to accept blood money or make a settlement with those associated with the alleged perpetrator.[12]

Repatriation and burial of body

The body of Ranara was repatriated to the Philippines on January 27, 2023, with expenses shouldered by her employers.[13] The Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started its own autopsy the following day.[14] The body was buried on February 5, 2023, at the Golden Haven Memorial Park in Las Piñas.[15]

Perpetrator

Kuwait authorities managed to arrest the perpetrator, identified as Turki Ayed Al-Azmi, a 17-year old Kuwaiti national,[1] in less than a day Ranara was found dead.[9] The person was determined to be the son of the employer of Ranara.[16]

Previous cases and Kuwait–Philippine relations

See also: 2018 Kuwait–Philippines diplomatic crisis

In 2018, a diplomatic crisis between Kuwait and the Philippines arose following the killing of Joanna Demafelis. President Rodrigo Duterte directed a deployment ban for migrant workers to Kuwait. The ban was partially lifted when a deal concerning the protection of migrant workers was struck in May of that year. However Demafelis' death was followed by the cases of Constancia Lago Dayag (2019) and Jeanelyn Villavende (2020) who were killed by their employers.[16][17]

Reactions

Kuwait

On January 29, 2023, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salen Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah condemned the killings and expressed condolence to Ranara's family. He added that the perpetrator's actions do not in any way reflect the character and values of Kuwaiti society, the Kuwaiti people and the Kuwaiti government.[13]

On May 26, 2023, Kuwait suspended the issuance of visas for all Philippine nationals indefinitely. The Ministry of Interior of Kuwait said that actions by the Philippine embassy in Kuwait violated a 2018 bilateral labor agreement between the two countries, which was signed after the 2018 discovery of the frozen body of Filipino worker Joanna Demafelis who was murdered by her employers. The violations listed include "housing workers in shelters, searching for runaways without involving state institutions, communicating with Kuwaiti citizens without permission from authorities and pressuring Kuwaiti employers to add clauses to employment contracts." The ban is speculated to be a retaliation against the earlier Philippine ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait following the murder of Ranara.[18][19][20]

Philippines

President Bongbong Marcos visits the wake of Ranara in Las Piñas (January 30, 2023)

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) led by secretary Susan Ople on January 24 said that they were not considering a total deployment ban for Filipino migrant workers seeking to work in Kuwait finding the Kuwait authorities' actions on the case swift although the department is looking to impose additional safeguards.[21]

Senator Jinggoy Estrada urged an intensified campaign to advocate for the abolishment of the kafala system in Arab nations.[22] Senator Raffy Tulfo on January 29, called for a total deployment ban, saying it would be better to just allow Filipinos to work in places where they are treated better such as in Guam. He also demanded the Kuwaiti government to issue a public apology to the Filipino people.[23] Senators JV Ejercito and Joel Villanueva also called for a deployment ban.[24]

Meanwhile some legislators in the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs of the House of Representatives are calling for an investigation on Ranara's recruitment agency, the Catalist International Manpower Services Company. They intend to determine whether the agency is involved in irregular and illegal activities.[6]

President Bongbong Marcos visited the wake for Ranara on January 30, and vowed to extend help and engage with bilateral talks with the Kuwaiti government on the matter.[25]

On February 8, 2023, the DMW imposed a deferral on the deployment of newly hired Filipino household service workers bound to Kuwait.[26][27] The DMW also issued a preventive suspension on Catalist International's operations as well as intends to file a case against Catalist International and its Kuwaiti counterpart, the Platinum International Office for Recruitment of Domestic Manpower.[7]

Resolution

On September 15, 2023, the Kuwaiti court sentenced Ranara's killer Turki Ayed Al-Azmi to 15-year imprisonment for murder. He was also sentenced an additional year of imprisonment for driving without a license.[28][29]

Kuwait Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah talked with President Bongbong Marcos on the sidelines of the ASEAN-GCC Summit in Riyadh October 2023 regarding the labor dispute between Kuwait and the Philippines. He apologized to Marcos for his country's response to the issue and pledged to commit to resolve the dispute.[30][31]

Notes

  1. ^ Some sources stated her age as 35-year-old.[2] On a tarpaulin display, Ranara was born on July 17, 1988 and killed on January 21, 2023, thus she died at the age of 34.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Killer of OFW Jullebee Ranara sentenced to 15-year imprisonment". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023. The accused — 17-year-old Turki Ayed Al-Azmi — was sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder and one more year for driving without a license, according to a statement by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
  2. ^ "Kuwait foreign minister condemns Ranara's murder". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  3. ^ "Pamilya Ranara, 'di tatanggap ng blood money mula sa employer o Kuwaiti gov't Frontline Pilipinas". News5 – via YouTube. Note: Pause at 0:25.
  4. ^ Cruz-Araneta, Gemma (February 2, 2023). "Jullebee Ranara, brutal slay victim". Manila Bulletin.
  5. ^ a b Koh, Ewe (February 2, 2023). "She Left Home to Work 5,000 Miles Away, But Was Killed and Abandoned in a Desert". Vice. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Congress urges investigation on recruitment agency of Jullebee Ranara (February 6, 2023). "Recruitment agency ni Jullebee Ranara, pinapaimbestigahan sa Kamara". RMN Networks (in Filipino). Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "DMW suspends operation of slain OFW's recruiter, to file case vs local, foreign recruitment agencies". Manila Bulletin. January 28, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Naar, Ismaeel (February 2, 2023). "Philippines to set conditions on recruitment agencies in Kuwait after murder". The National. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Murdered Filipina was pregnant". Arab Times. January 22, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "Church seeks justice for Filipino migrant raped, killed in Kuwait - UCA News". UCA News. January 25, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "Kuwaiti juvenile had sexual intercourse and later murdered the Filipina". Arab Times. January 25, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  12. ^ Cerezo, Anna (January 31, 2023). "Tulfo slams claim that kin of slain OFW accepted 'blood money'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Valmonte, Kaycee (January 30, 2023). "Kuwait foreign minister condemns Ranara's murder". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  14. ^ "NBI starts autopsy on remains of OFW killed in Kuwait". CNN Philippines. January 28, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  15. ^ Bermudo, Ludy (February 6, 2023). "Pinaslang na OFW na si Jullebee Ranara, inilibing na" [Slained OFW Jullebee Ranara, laid to rest]. Pangmasa (in Filipino). The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Filipina found dead in Kuwait; DMW's Ople vows justice". GMA News. January 23, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "Before Jullebee: OFWs who died at the hands of their employers in Kuwait". Rappler. January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  18. ^ Cua, Aric John Sy; Mondares, Claire Bernadette (May 13, 2023). "Kuwait stops issuing entry visas to Filipinos". The Manila Times. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  19. ^ Hagagy, Ahmed; Barrington, Lisa (May 26, 2023). "Kuwait suspends new visas for Philippines workers in rights row". Reuters. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  20. ^ "Philippines seeks 'mutually satisfactory solution' with Kuwait on deployment, visa issues". The Philippine Star. May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  21. ^ "DMW not considering Kuwait deployment ban after OFW slay, eyes 'additional safeguards'". CNN Philippines. January 24, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  22. ^ Torregoza, Hannah (January 24, 2023). "Estrada calls for abolition of 'Kafala system' after killing, burning of OFW in Kuwait". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  23. ^ Velasco, Raheema (January 29, 2023). "Tulfo bats for total deployment ban in Kuwait". CNN Philippines. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  24. ^ Pinlac, Beatrice (January 30, 2023). "Tulfo wants OFW deployment policies to Kuwait reviewed, tightened". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  25. ^ Cabristante, Raffy (January 30, 2023). "Marcos Jr. visits wake of OFW slain in Kuwait, vows to help family". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  26. ^ "Deployment ban ng mga bagong household service worker applicants sa Kuwait, "effective immediately" – DMW - RMN Networks". RMN Networks. February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  27. ^ Ismael, Javier Joe; Maghanoy, Christian Crow (February 9, 2023). "DMW stops sending domestic help to Kuwait". The Manila Times. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  28. ^ "Jullebee Ranara's killer sentenced to 15-year imprisonment". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  29. ^ "OFW Jullebee Ranara's killer gets 15 years from Kuwait court". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  30. ^ Piatos, Tiziana Celine (October 21, 2023). "Crown Prince 'sorry' over strained Kuwait-Phl ties". Daily Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  31. ^ DSouza, Reaven (October 22, 2023). "Philippine-Kuwait labour problem nearing an end". The Times Kuwait. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
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