After helping a Filipina domestic helper escape her employers in November, Pinoy taxi driver Jelmar “DAVE” Fuentes is now in trouble in Kuwait.
While he was just doing what he thought was noble as he helped save a Filipina’s life from her employers, this is a direct violation of the stipulations under the bilateral agreement between the foreign country and the Philippines.
Photo credit: Facebook / DA VE – Jelmar Fuentes
Troubled workers are supposed to call the Kuwaiti hotline for help against their employers as the country wants to impose its sovereign authority in the land; however, many Filipinos are scared to call that hotline, believing there would be some bias in favor of their Kuwaiti employers.
So, many try to escape on their own and pray someone kind would rescue them along the way. Others in Kuwait have found an angel in Fuentes who goes by the handle “DAVE” on social media.
Photo credit: Facebook / DA VE – Jelmar Fuentes
Those who want to escape their employers carefully plan this out with Fuentes, including where he would pick the distressed OFW and how much payment he would receive for the service.
In November, Fuentes helped a certain ‘Sol’ and brought her to the Embassy. He thought this was just another successful rescue mission but the scared woman told the Embassy officials about how she got there and who helped her.
Safe inside the Philippine Embassy, Sol called Fuentes and requested him to go there. Thinking she needed help again and not really thinking he was guilty of anything, Fuentes readily went to the Embassy. This turned out to be a trap.
Photo credit: Facebook / DA VE – Jelmar Fuentes
Once inside, Sol told him they will be brought to another facility – but this turned out to be a jail! The taxi driver was shocked that he would be imprisoned for helping this woman escape, especially because she had told him about the treatment she suffered under the hands of her employers.
What’s worse, he would discover after a month of being in prison that he was not even facing any case at all. No charges had been filed against him yet he was spending prison time and suffering inhumane treatment inside the jail.
On January 19, 2019, Fuentes posted that he was finally back in the Philippines. While he was not able to find justice in what he believe was wrongful imprisonment due to Sol’s accusations, he was thankful that he was at least home now.
But he would share details about his ordeal, including some scathing things about alleged money-making schemes at the Embassy in Kuwait, shared Kwentong OFW…
