REPATRIATION SOUGHT. A picture of Angelo Claveria, an Overseas Filipino Worker, who died in South Korea. His family is seeking the return of his remains. (Photo from Claveria's Facebook account)
ILOILO CITY -- The family members of Angelo Claveria, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) whose skeletal remains were found in a septic tank in South Korea, are looking forward to the speedy repatriation of his remains following the intervention of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.
Mayette Claveria, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Saturday, said that her sister Jeanette received a call from Go on Friday afternoon inquiring about the details of her brother’s case.
Mayette is the sixth among the nine Claveria siblings followed by Angelo.
Jeanette, a younger sister of the victim and also an OFW, came home last week from Bahrain after learning of what happened to her brother.
Jeanette said that in a conversation with the Palace official, she requested for the repatriation of his brother’s remains to be fast tracked for him to be given a “proper burial”.
On the night of the same day, Mayette said her sister got a text message from Secretary Go. Jeanette described the message as “good news” as she was told that the repatriation cost of Angelo’s remains will be shouldered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The family has been waiting for the remains to be brought back to the Philippines since it was confirmed on May 1 that the bones found inside the septic tank were that of Angelo's.
The main problem was on the discussion of who will shoulder the repatriation cost, Mayette said.
She added that they are “drained financially, physically and emotionally” as they travel daily to Iloilo City to process the documents for repatriation. The Claveria family lives in Poblacion Ilaya, Cabatuan in Iloilo Province.
On the same night, OWWA called the family and requested for documents so they could work on the repatriation, Mayette said.
She added that Allen Arroyo, welfare officer of OWWA-Iloilo, will be going to Manila to authenticate at the Department of Foreign Affairs the “special power of attorney (SPA)” signed by their mother Angelita, authorizing someone to process the return of the remains. “We are thankful that it was facilitated,” she said.
The family expressed hope that Angelo’s remains will be home before Jeanette goes back to Bahrain as she was only able to get a two-week emergency leave.
The family has decided to have his remains open to viewing for five days before he will be laid to rest.
She added that the move to seek justice for his brother will just follow after the burial.
Angelo, 34, left his hometown in July 2014 to work as a metal cutter in factory in Hwaseong, Gyronggi Province, South Korea.
The last time he communicated with his family was Christmas Eve of 2015.
In April this year, a report broke out in South Korea about “human bones inside a water purifier facility.” The clothes seen inside the purifier were similar to those worn by Angelo in one of his pictures.
Last April 20, the Korean Consulate took DNA specimen samples from their mother in Iloilo.
In May 3, media reports confirmed that their samples matched. (PNA)
