GRIEF. Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople (right) condoles with a relative of Kuwaiti worker Jullebee Ranara at an undisclosed place on Monday (Jan. 23, 2023). Ranara, 35, was found dead in a desert on Sunday (Jan. 22). (Courtesy of DMW)
MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has already coordinated with the family of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jullebee Ranara whose charred remains were discovered in a desert in Kuwait on Sunday.
The 35-year-old OFW was reportedly pregnant, according to an autopsy as reported by local media.
The English-language publication Arab Times said the 17-year-old son of Ranara’s employer was arrested and confessed to the crime.
“The accused happened to be a Kuwaiti juvenile who raped his family housemaid and committed a gruesome murder by burning her body and throwing it on road side in Salmi area,” the report read.
DMW Secretary Susan Ople visited the family of the victim on Monday and vowed to work closely with the Kuwaiti government for the fast resolution of the case.
“Ople expressed the Department’s and her personal condolences with Ranara’s family and informed them that the DMW will provide them all the necessary support they need at this time of grief,” read the DMW statement.
DMW is still waiting for the official report from Kuwaiti authorities.
Before the news broke out on Sunday, friends of Ranara in Kuwait posted on Facebook that she was missing.
“Baka po may mga friend dito si Jolly Ranara sa Kuwait na nakakita sa kanya, please lang po, pm (private message) naman po diyan. Mahigit na pong 24 hours na wala kameng balita sa kanya (In case any friend of Jolly has seen her, please send me a message me as we haven’t heard from her for more than 24 hours already),” posted Ranara’s friend, whose name is written in Arabic characters, hours before her body was discovered on Sunday.
Another friend, Charald Dy, asked for help to spread the message that Ranara was missing.
“Good evening po. Pa-share po please. Para sa kaibigan ko at kumare kong si Jullybee Ranara Cabilis or mas kilalang si Niñia Reyes na nawawala sa Kuwait at ngayon po ay nalaman na ng pamilya niya na patay na sya (For my friend Jullybee Ranara Cabilis, also known as Niñia Reyes, who is missing here in Kuwait and now her family has learned of her death),” Dy posted. (PNA)
