A Filipino domestic worker, Dafnie Nacalaban, who had been missing for two months, was found dead in a severely decomposed state in the backyard of a Kuwaiti national.
Nacalaban had planned to surprise her family by returning home in December, but her tragic discovery has left her loved ones in shock.
According to Nacalaban’s sister, Michael Nacalaban Lensahan, the victim had promised to return home during their last conversation in May 2024, showing no signs of distress at that time.
Following the grim discovery, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have vowed to engage with Kuwaiti officials to pursue justice for Nacalaban.
DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac reported that Nacalaban’s second employer filed a missing person report on October 16, claiming that the worker had either gone missing or absconded.
Cacdac also noted that neither the DMW’s records nor the family indicated any prior signs that Nacalaban was in danger.
“Even the family did not have signs from the OFW that she was in danger,” Cacdac said.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega confirmed that Nacalaban’s remains were found after the suspect’s sibling reported the crime to local authorities.
The suspect, who has a criminal history, has been identified, and a relative believed to have helped conceal the crime is also under investigation.
The crime scene was discovered three to five days after the initial report.