A Filipino domestic worker in Kuwait accused of killing a child may have been dealing with personal or mental health issues, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega. The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait received unverified reports suggesting the worker was “depressed” at the time of the incident.
The domestic worker allegedly placed the victim in a washing machine out of frustration, reportedly because the child was “disturbing” her, according to Gulf News and Arab Times.
De Vega, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, noted that while the embassy has yet to confirm the reports, they indicate the worker may have been struggling with depression. He emphasized that such actions are not typical behavior, stating, “Hindi normal ‘to na gagawin mo ‘yun.”
The embassy also received information that the OFW had been shouting before the incident. The Filipino worker, who hails from Alcala, Cagayan, has been in Kuwait since 2015 and is currently under police custody. Embassy officials have not yet spoken directly to her.
The DFA and Department of Migrant Workers have pledged to provide legal and psychosocial assistance to the worker as investigations proceed. De Vega added that efforts are being made to notify her family in the Philippines.
While expressing hope that the incident will not tarnish the reputation of Filipinos in Kuwait, De Vega described it as an isolated case. He referenced the lifting of a previous deployment ban in Kuwait following the 2023 murder of OFW Jullebee Ranara, saying, “We hope the Kuwaitis will understand.”
