‘Why are you going away?’

VICTORY. Domestic worker Gloria Ortinez smiles and flashes the "victory" sign after meeting with fellow Ilocanos at Chater Garden in Central on November 15. Ortinez thanked her kababayans in Hong Kong for praying for her during her "tanim-bala" ordeal. (Philip C. Tubeza)

“If you love me, then why are you going away?”

Hearing these words from her 13-year-old son and seeing how emotionally afftected he was, the employer of Gloria Ortinez had a change of heart and reconsidered her decision to terminate the employment contract of the Filipino domestic worker.

According to migrant workers advocate Susan “Toots” Ople, Ortinez’s ward would not let go of her nanny, who recently fell victim to “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“The boy was really crying while hugging her tightly. Nanay Gloria was also very emotional as she was bidding him goodbye, telling him to study well and that she loves him very much,”  said Ople, who accompanied Ortinez in Hong Kong on November 15.

“If you love me, then why are you going away? Why are you leaving me?” Ople quoted the boy as telling Ortinez, an overseas worker for more than 26 years, many of which she had spent working as the boy’s nanny.

“Nanay Gloria has already established deep personal ties with her employer and her ward. She’s already like the boy’s second mother. That’s why her employer, a single mom, trusts her.

It just so happened that this ‘tanim-bala’ incident happened. Of course, the employer also values their privacy and they don’t like to be involved in any controversy,” Ople explained.

Ople narrated that Ortinez and her employer initially had a bitter parting of ways after the latter refused to allow the former to enter the apartment to get her personal belongings.

Unknown to the mother, the boy went down the building to bid his “yaya” goodbye. The mother witnessed how emotionally affected her son was by her decision to let go of Nanay Gloria, according to Ople. The following morning, Ortinez was surprised to receive a call from her employer.

“She told Nanay Gloria that she was sorry and, according to her, her son cried the whole night and refused to eat breakfast before going to school,” Ople said, adding that the employer then invited the 56-year-old nanny to meet her at a small restaurant across her apartment.

The meeting became an opportunity for Ortinez to explain to her employer the ‘tanim-bala’ incident.

“It was the first time they discussed the incident face-to-face and her employer expressed her sympathy over what happened,” said Ople.

“They agreed on a settlement that includes a prospect of a new contract once Nanay Glo is prepared to come back. The employer promised not to replace her. They will wait for Nanay Gloria to come back once all her papers are ready,” Ople added.

Ortinez’s previous contract was terminated by her employer after she failed to return to Hong Kong on time in the aftermath of the ‘tanim-bala’ incident.

Ortinez was arrested at NAIA on Oct. 25 after a live bullet was found inside her handcarry bag. However, the case against Ortinez was dismissed after three days due to “lack of probable cause.”

Ople said they asked the Commission on Human Rights to look into the possible human rights violations Ortinez suffered due to the ‘tanim-bala’ incident.

In a recent meeting between Ortinez and CHR Commissioner Gwen Pimentel- Gana, the OFW said she was not informed about her rights prior to questioning by airport personnel.

“According to Nanay Gloria, she was brought to a room and there were about seven people there, including herself. The interrogators wore white barong shirts but without any identifying marks or nameplates. They were telling her to admit to owning the bullet but she refused. She was also being made to sign a document with a warning that if she did not cooperate, they would put her in
handcuffs.” Ople said.