BY FELIPE CELINO
ROXAS City — A Capiceña overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia died due to “asphyxia consistent with hanging,” a police medico-legal officer said, confirming the investigation findings of Malaysian authorities.
Aloha Acer Magbanua, 34, of Brgy. Bolo here, reportedly committed suicide on November 8.
“There was no sign of struggle,” Dr. Joe Martin Fuentes of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Regional Crime Laboratory said, but added that injuries on the woman’s foot may indicate another story, thus, “we cannot totally rule out homicide (yet).”
Magbanua’s remains were brought back to the Philippines from Malaysia on Tuesday.
A Malaysian Airlines flight bearing the remains arrived shortly after 2 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, reports said.
They arrived in this city at about 6:50 a.m. yesterday via an Air Philippines flight.
They were fetched at the Roxas City Airport by her family, who brought streamers with the words, “Justice for Aloha Magbanua.”
Placed in a box covered with white cloth, the remains were brought to the St. Peter’s Memorial Home in Brgy. Tanza here for an autopsy.
They will be brought home to Brgy. Bolo, some five kilometers from the city proper, this morning.
Coming along with Magbanua’s remains was her mother, Margarita, who was taken to the Saint Anthony College Hospital here after her blood pressure shot up.
Magbanua’s uncle, Antonio, said their family does not believe that the OFW committed suicide. “We can’t find a reason for her to commit suicide. She was a good girl,” he said.
Magbanua started working in Kuala Lumpur three months ago. She left her nine-month-old daughter with her mother to look for a job after her boyfriend left her.
The Mother’s Way International Placement Agency, which has a sub-office here, placed her job abroad.
Antonio said their family will wait for the autopsy results before taking any action.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Regional Director Samuel Madrid assured Magbanua’s family of P100,000 death assistance and P30,000 burial benefit for Aloha, an OWWA member.
Madrid said the family will also be provided livelihood assistance and educational aid for her nine-month-old child, and get counseling.
He said Magbanua was scheduled for repatriation on the day she hanged herself inside the bathroom of the Filipino Resource Center of OWWA, where she sought assistance after leaving her employer.
