'Sex for flight' probe on Pinoy embassy

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said he is willing to form a special body to investigate into allegations that some of the country's male embassy and labor officials sexually abused some distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East.

Aquino said he is scheduled to meet with Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Tuesday afternoon to get updates on the ongoing probe on the alleged "sex-for-flight" scheme in Philippines embassies and labor offices abroad.

"If warranted, if I look at it [the investigation] then I am not happy with the results, or if they ask for more assistance from other agencies, then we will do so," the President said when asked if he planned to create a special investigating body to focus on the allegations of sexual abuse among OFWs.

He added that he might ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to help the Labor Department and the Foreign Affairs Department in investigating the alleged "sex-for-flight" scheme.

Two weeks ago, Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello called on Malacañang to form this special body to come up with a more credible investigation on the alleged sexual exploitation of female OFWs in Arab countries.

It was also the party-list congressman who accused  two Philippine embassy and labor officials in Kuwait and Jordan were accused of demanding sexual favors from OFWs who sought repatriation from the Middle East.

At least three OFWs have already came forward and executed affidavits to confirm the existence of a "sex-for-flight" scheme in some Philippine embassies and labor offices.

The DFA has already launched a probe on these accusations and ordered some envoys from the Middle East to fly back to the Philippines to shed light on the "sex for flight" allegations.

Some 2.3 million OFWs are currently working in the Middle East, mostly in Saudi Arabia. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News