Dafne Nacalaban's decomposed remains were discovered on December 31, 2024. ARCHIVE

The prime suspect in the death of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Dafne Nacalaban in Kuwait has confessed to the crime, said Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac. Speaking at a news forum on Saturday (January 18), Cacdac confirmed that the suspect, a Kuwaiti national, is now in custody along with three of his family members—his wife, father, and younger sibling. Nacalaban, who worked in Kuwait for five years, went missing in October 2023 after leaving her first employer. Her decomposed remains were discovered on December 31 in the backyard of the suspect’s home. Cacdac expressed concern over the case and highlighted ongoing efforts to obtain the full police report. “There are various accounts regarding the prime suspect’s background, so we will await the complete police report,” he said. This case, alongside the death of another OFW, Jenny Alvarado, has reignited calls for stricter deployment policies to Kuwait. Alvarado’s remains were repatriated to the Philippines under controversial circumstances, with suffocation cited as the cause of death. The Philippine government is considering a temporary ban on deploying OFWs to Kuwait, a measure supported by migrant rights groups. Cacdac said the DMW is closely monitoring the situation and evaluating the effectiveness of current restrictions, such as allowing only experienced domestic workers to work in Kuwait. There are an estimated 215,000 Filipinos in Kuwait. ICA/Expat Media
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