ABU DHABI // A migrant rights group has repeated its call to the Philippine government to send legal attachés to the Middle East after a Filipina who complained of rape ended up in an Ajman prison on adultery charges.
John Leonard Monterona, the Middle East co-ordinator for Migrante, a Filipino migrant rights group, said the woman, identified as WC, was due in court for a second hearing today, but that the Philippine consulate in Dubai had so far failed to provide a lawyer for her.
"The absence of a legal counsel during her trial may lead to a conviction or her prolonged imprisonment," Mr Monterona said.
The case was brought to the attention of Migrante by WC's husband, still in the Philippines, who wrote to the group this month, worried that he had not heard from his wife since April 7.
WC, who had arrived in Dubai on March 27 to take up a position as a hotel chambermaid, had wanted to return home when she was made to work as a housemaid instead.
The husband was told by the recruitment agency on April 27 that his wife had made the allegation of rape, but had been "jailed for lying" after a medical examination proved negative for the alleged assault.
On the same day, the husband received a phone call from his wife, who told him that she had been raped.
Mr Monterona, however, said Migrante had no information yet about the identity of the man involved or the date when the alleged attack took place.
Officials from Ajman police confirmed the case and said they had already referred WC to the public prosecutor.
She remains in police custody. The officials, however, declined to provide further details since the case was now being dealt with by the criminal courts.
Ahmed Bajunaid, the head of the assistance to nationals section at the consulate in Dubai, said initial reports showed that the Filipina had admitted to allowing an Indian man to enter her room. He said the man was now in jail on trespassing charges.
Between 200 and 300 Filipinos are behind bars in Dubai and the northern Emirates, according to Mr Bajunaid. They include people convicted of theft, as well as drugs and immigration offences. Others have been jailed for bad debts.
Last month Migrante and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants in Hong Kong asked Manila to supply legal attachés in the Middle East to ensure that Filipinos appearing in court were represented.
Repeating the call, Mr Monterona said that while his organisation welcomed a decision to deploy social welfare attachés in the Middle East next month, Manila should consider sending legal attachés first. About 500 Filipinos were behind bars in the Middle East, with at least 16 on death row.
"It makes a difference being accompanied by someone with legal knowledge and expertise on Sharia," he said.
Nasser Munder, the Philippine labour attaché in Abu Dhabi, said 136 Filipinas, mostly housemaids, were being counselled at the Abu Dhabi shelter run by Filipino labour and welfare officers. They had fled their employers after complaining of mistreatment, overwork and not being paid.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Manila will send the first batch of social welfare attachés to Saudi Arabia and Jordan in June. It is not known when they will be posted to the UAE.
rruiz@thenational.ae
With additional reporting by Yasin Kakande
Look%20Both%20Ways
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Wanuri%20Kahiu%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Lili%20Reinhart%2C%20Danny%20Ramirez%2C%20David%20Corenswet%2C%20Luke%20Wilson%2C%20Nia%20Long%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.