Here’s our continuing coverage of the tragedy that befell our kailiyan, Jocelyn Dulnuan, in Toronto. Jocelyn has a Friendster account here. You might want to leave messages of sympathy to her family in said site.
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UPDATE 3:
London Free Press: The mansion where she was found murdered was targeted for a burglary, but police won’t say what the looters were looking for in the house. More here.
newswire.ca: The YWCA-Toronto urges political candidates to address the issue of violence against women. Excerpt from the YWCA statement: The brutal murders of Jocelyn Dulnuan and Aysuen Sesen serve to remind all Ontarians that the root causes of violence against women deserve the same media and political attention given to other aspects of the provincial election campaign. YWCA Toronto urges provincial candidates to hear this message and begin to address in their platforms the conditions that trap women and children in violent homes. More here.
Toronto Star: Jocelyn had safety fears. The Toronto Star quotes some people who know Jocelyn. From said report:
“There’s a second door in the back of the house that leads to the basement where her room is. She told me the last time I saw her that there’s a river behind the house, so someone could just pass onto the (property) there, around the gates,” said Lyn, 27, who is also a housekeeper. Lyn, who did not want her last name published, said she spoke with Dulnuan the morning she was killed.
“She came here like everybody else; to make a living and help her family,” said Fay Hangdaan, who lives in Toronto and is the cousin of Dulnuan’s fiancé. “We just can’t believe it.”
“Her family is longing for her body to be brought home, but unfortunately, the Philippine consulate cannot fund the shipment,” wrote Imie Belanger in an email last night. Belanger was a neighbour of Dulnuan’s in the Philippines.
The Toronto Star also reports that Jocelyn is a criminology graduate from the University of Baguio.
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UPDATE 2: A report by Vincent Cabreza of the Inquirer: The Overseas Workers Welfare Office has asked the Philippine embassy in Canada to check on Internet reports alleging “foul play” in the death of a 27-year-old Filipina from Hingyon, Ifugao, who worked as a maid in Mississauga City.
Anthony Basil, Cordillera case officer of the Overseas Workers Welfare Office here, said they asked the embassy officials to look into the mysterious death of a certain Jocelyn, said to be a resident of the village of Namulditan in Hingyon. More here.
Thanks to Vincent for bringing this to the attention of the OWWA.
Updates from Toronto:
From 680 News: Peel Regional Police suspect robbery was the motive in the death of a housekeeper at an opulent estate in Mississauga. Investigators told reporters Wednesday that the house was targeted and the victim may have been as well.
Jocelyn Dulnuan came to Canada from the Philippines on a work permit last year. She had worked as a housekeeper for the family that owns the mansion at 2450 Doulton Place for two months. Prior to that, she had several nanny jobs across the GTA. Her mother lives in Hong Kong and was told of her death over the telephone Tuesday. More here.
You can read similar reports at CBC News and CTV.ca.
City News has a video report here and a must read article that starts: It sounds like something out of an Agatha Christie mystery novel – a maid from across the world comes to a huge mansion and goes to work for a wealthy family, only to wind up murdered inside the spacious multi-million dollar home.
More from citynews: Cops received a phone call from someone in the residence around 5pm Monday, after her body was discovered inside. Detectives have since built a wall of silence around the case, saying as little as possible, beyond assuring residents a killer isn’t prowling their neighbourhood.
“This was an isolated incident, and the location was targeted for a specific reason that I’m not prepared to comment on today,” Peel Inspector Norm English answers carefully. “I do believe, though, that there was property taken from the residence. However, this needs to be determined after doing a proper walk-through with the homeowners.” Read the whole story here.
RELATED: A Toronto Tragedy. PHOTO CREDIT: Jocelyn Dulnuan.
What a sad news. Hope and pray the “real” killer will not get away from this.
There’s something eerie while watching the house and reading those articles.
We’ve got so many Kailyans in Canada. Hope the BIBAK will help in some ways.
That’s really tragic. Hope the culprits get caught and pay for their crimes.
Jocelyn worked with the employer for only two months? This is a tragedy that is ours as well.
Our economy is really so lamentable that our people are forced to leave this country for greener pastures. Many cases are success stories, but there are also so many tragic ones like Jocelyn’s case. I hope the Philippines will consider this death a matter of extreme significance. I fear that it may end up as one of those cases where the deceased does not get fair treatment from his/her government to whom s/he had been remitting dollars that have helped keep the economy afloat.
Our prayers for Jocelyn’s family that they find strength in this time of sorrow.
Since Canada is considered a world-class country, we are all hoping she comes home in a dignified manner. Brush aside her employer’s who are from India (my latest info, hope I’m not wrong), the Canadienne Government should be in the forefront to ensure a fitting honor for her somber return.
I made the preceeding statement coz too often, when I watched on Philippines TV a returning lifeless OFW from the Middle East, most arrive in a despicable containers. No respect whatsoever!
Mentalities of those responsible just borders the edge of reason.
Condolences to her immediately family in Ifugao.
Really, really sad! Tsk, tsk… And to think she’s still young, and just got her work permit in 2006. Yay!
Our most sincere condolences to her family. I hope and pray that she gets the justice due her.
Thank u, Sir B, for the updates and I hope u continue to do so.
Condolences to our kababayan’s family. And we pray that those responsible will be dealt with accordingly. Our prayers to our kababayan…
Hi Lovelyn,
Sad news indeed. Am with you in hoping that whoever did this will be brought to justice. Thankfully, our kailiyans are working on this. But they need all the help there is. Thanks.
Hi black wolf,
Oy, nabigla ako sa bago mong pangalan :-). Let’s hope that the Canadian authorities will have a crack investigative team looking into this incident.
Hi Chyt,
Oo nga. It is very much our own tragedy. I’m with you in hoping that the government will act to help her and her family. Eh, dada sila ng dada na OFWs are heroes but they often ignore those OFWs in need of help. Thanks.
Hi Trublue,
Good points. Let’s hope that government authorities (whether in Canada or in the Philippines) who handle this case will do it with dignity. As you said, too often in the Philippines, the departed are treated in a less than dignified manner. Thanks.
Hi Layad,
Oo nga eh. Imagine, a life cut short at the age of 27. Yup, we will continue to do updates. Thanks.
Hi Anitokid,
Thanks for picking up this issue and also blogging about it. The more people who are aware of the problem, the higher chances that the government will assume its responsibility to help its citizen. Thanks.
Then could we request the blog administrator to come up with a statement for a signature/support campaign to reach our kakailyan worldwide asking/demanding the Canadian government,OWWA,Canadian Embassy in Philippines, Philippine Embassy in Canada, and any other concerned agency to conduct the needed investigation and for the investigation to be done asap; and for them to do the necessary action as well as what their job says.
This trajedy done to an OFW kailyan is a tragedy which commands everyone of us to do something in cash or in kind.
Other suggestions?
This is a sad news. My condolences to her family. I hope she will not only become an ignored statistic in our country’s reviews on violence against OFWs. I hope her story reminds our government to make working in the Philippines more worth it. So that citizens will not go working in other countries and risking their lives to provide for their families.
Hi Nadjhin,
Thanks for the suggestion. I agree that each of us should do what we can in supporting Jocelyn. I’d like to think though that the Canadian authorities will do a good job investigating the case.
My concern was the failure of the Philippine consulate to extend the necessary support but, according to news reports, the DFA has now ordered the consulate in Toronto to extend full support to Jocelyn. We have to give credit to the DFA response but it remains to be seen.
So at this point, maybe a signature campaign is not that urgent. However, it might become necessary (and then we will do it)if for instance, the consulate still does not assume responsibility for this case despite the pronouncement by the DFA that it will.
Such statement might also become necessary if Canadian authorities sleep on their job and fail to bring the culprit before the courts of justice. I guess its too early to conclude that such is the case.
Much thanks. I hope I didn’t disappoint you 🙂
Hi Woobie,
It is sad news indeed. I’m with you in hoping that her case will not be ignored and that we learn from this and make our country a better place to work in. Thanks.