Remains of slain OFW from Saudi Arabia arrives in PH

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 13) —The remains of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Marjorette Garcia, who was killed in Saudi Arabia, arrived in the Philippines on Friday.

«It is with broken hearts that we mourn her loss, that we bring her home in this manner, the victim of one senseless act of violence we have yet to comprehend,» Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.

Members of Garcia's family were seen in a video posted on social media grieving while hugging the remains of their loved one.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) confirmed on Oct. 3 the alleged murder of Garcia. It said a suspect, a Kenyan co-worker of the victim, is already in police custody.

«Sa pagpapatuloy ng kaganapan, nasa kustodiya na ng pulisya ang Kenyan co-worker na pumatay kay OFW Garcia,» the statement said. «Bukod sa PRA, ang Saudi recruitment agency na may hawak kay OFW Garcia ay handa ring dumalaw at magbigay ng suporta sa pamilya nito.»

[Translation: With the continuous happenings, the Kenyan co-worker who killed OFW Garcia is already in the custody of the police. Aside from PRA (Philippine Recruitment Agencies), the Saudi recruitment agency in charge of Garcia is also ready to give support to the family.]

In an interview with CNN Philippines, the victim's sister, Rits Parungao, said that after two weeks of no communication with her sister, they received a call on Sept. 27 saying that her sister's body was in the morgue.

READ: Family of deceased OFW in Saudi Arabia seeks justice, autopsy of remains

The family is requesting an autopsy on Garcia's remains.

The OFW was a 32-year-old domestic worker who started working in Saudi Arabia in 2021 to support her family. She was supposed to return to the country in October, according to her family.

CNN Philippines correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this story.