蜜桃工作室

A labor official came face to face with three of his alleged victims who confronted him at the Senate on Thursday at a hearing into the sex-for-flight scandal in overseas labor offices.

Antonio Villafuerte, the assistant labor attach茅 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was told off by 鈥淢ichelle,鈥� who dramatically removed the shawl covering her face and accused Villafuerte of attempting to rape her and of sending her lewd text messages.

鈥淣ow, Mr. Villauerte, do you remember me? Do you remember what you did to me?鈥� a crying Michelle asked Villafuerte.

Michelle and two other alleged victims of Villafuerte鈥檚 recounted before the Senate blue ribbon committee how Villafuerte allegedly made obscene and degrading remarks while interrogating them about their ordeal in the hands of the Saudi employers that they had escaped from.

Michelle also testified that Villafuerte tried to rape her at the Philippine overseas labor office in Riyadh.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that he had that kind of desire for me,鈥� Michelle told the committee.

鈥淚 said, 鈥楽ir, somebody might see us. Sir, please don鈥檛,鈥欌�� she recalled as Villafuerte allegedly tried to assault her.

She said she managed to push him away and escape.

Michelle also testified that shortly after she ran away from her employer, she needed new undergarments as she didn鈥檛 bring a change of clothes when she escaped.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 ask my companions [in Bahay Kalinga, where runaways are housed] because they also didn鈥檛 have any money,鈥� Michelle said.

Michelle said she called Villafuerte to ask where she could get new underwear. Villafuerte reportedly took it upon himself to have some bought for Michelle.

鈥淚 already had someone buy two salung-so and six salung-ki. Get them from ma鈥檃m Lita,鈥� read the text message that Villafuerte admittedly sent and that Michelle managed to save in her mobile phone.

The terms Villafuerte used for brassieres and panties could be construed as obscene references to a woman鈥檚 private parts.

Villafuerte told the committee that he meant no malice when he used those terms and that he used them in conversation with his wife.

鈥淚 want to put that text in the proper context. When she asked me to buy underwear for her when I鈥檇 yet to even see her, I was also embarrassed. I said I鈥檇 yet to see this woman and she was already asking me to buy underwear for her,鈥� Villafuerte said.

He said he told Michelle to approach a coordinator to ask for underwear. Michelle supposedly said there was none available.

鈥淪o I said I would just be the one to ask someone to buy some,鈥� Villafuerte said.

鈥淲hen I sent that text, I only wanted to know if she already got them. I meant nothing malicious,鈥� he said.

Villafuerte denied the allegations of attempted rape and obscene text messages while he was processing the cases of the three OFWs.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not true, your honor,鈥� Villafuerte said of the allegations against him.

He said he had been very diligent in his job and had helped to meet the needs of OFWs.

Related Story: 3 OFWs face labor exec in 鈥榮ex-for-flight鈥� scandal