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(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Byline: TJ Burgonio and Martin P. Marfil
FOREIGN Secretary Alberto Romulo yesterday denounced the death and possible sexual assault of a Filipino domestic helper in Lebanon as he ordered the Philippine Embassy in that country to "get to the bottom'' of the incident.
A reportedly troubled Hera Olandres fell to her death from the balcony of her agent's apartment building in Beirut on Aug. 24, more than seven months after she arrived to work as a domestic helper, Department of Foreign Affairs officials said.
A postmortem showed she had vaginal and anal lacerations and other physical injuries "consistent with sexual assault,'' the officials said.
Her alleged illegal recruiter in the Philippines, identified only as Liezl, was arrested last Wednesday by agents of the Presidential Anti-illegal Recruitment Task Force headed by Director Reynaldo Jaylo after the victim's family lodged a complaint.
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms all those responsible for this tragedy,'' said Romulo at a press briefing. "You deserve nothing less than the heaviest penalty mandated by law."