Philippines maid killed, dumped in Kuwait

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government said Saturday that it will take steps to assess and prevent abuses including rape and maltreatment of Filipino workers in Kuwait after a housemaid was killed and dumped in a desert in the oilrich emirate.

The remains of Jullebee Ranara were flown home Friday night from Kuwait, where the 35-year-old was reportedly killed by her employer’s son, then dumped with burn marks, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said.

Filipino officials were trying to confirm news reports that she was raped and was pregnant when she was killed by the 17-year-old suspect, who has been taken into custody by Kuwaiti police, she said. The Philippine government would do everything to ensure justice for the victim, she said.

“It’s a very gruesome, senseless crime and so the perpetrator must be punished,” Ople said in an online news conference.