Daughters seek cash
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 28th August 2006
CHILDREN of a Filipina who vanished in Bahrain almost two years ago are to follow up their mother’s case with the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in Manila, from today.
Maria Grace and Gracela Montibon, the two grown up daughters of Gracie Montibon – a debt-collector who mysteriously disappeared in Bahrain in November 2004 – are hoping the DFA’s Office of the Under-Secretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) will be able to help them access their mother’s four bank accounts in the Philippines.
Daughters seek cash
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 28th August 2006
CHILDREN of a Filipina who vanished in Bahrain almost two years ago are to follow up their mother’s case with the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in Manila, from today.
Maria Grace and Gracela Montibon, the two grown up daughters of Gracie Montibon – a debt-collector who mysteriously disappeared in Bahrain in November 2004 – are hoping the DFA’s Office of the Under-Secretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) will be able to help them access their mother’s four bank accounts in the Philippines.
The accounts are said to jointly contain around two million Philippine Pesos (about BD15,000).
The four Manila-based accounts are separate from three bank accounts in Bahrain that are said to contain BD6,000 altogether.
Mrs Montibon’s daughters have been advised by officials in Manila and Bahrain to seek the OUMWA’s assistance, said Maria Grace from Pampanga, the Philippines, yesterday.
“Bank officials in Manila told us that we need an official letter from the Philippines Embassy in Bahrain stating that our mother has been missing since November 2004,” said Maria Grace.
“This could help us start the process of accessing our mother’s bank accounts.
“The money would really help us.”
Filipino Ambassador Eduardo Maglaya told the GDN that it would be best for the sisters to get in touch with the DFA Under-Secretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos for further assistance.
“The embassy would be able to issue the document needed by the sisters as long as we have orders from Manila,” said Mr Maglaya.
The bank accounts in Bahrain with the BD6,000 remain intact, said sources.
But the Public Prosecution said in April last year that they must remain untouched until at least two years after the 42-year-old debt collector was reported missing.
Maria Grace and Gracela, who have both given up their mother for dead, hope to be able to get some – if not all – of the money in the seven bank accounts.
“We understand that the process could take years (to access the bank accounts),” said Maria Grace.
“But we are willing to wait for years as long as we know the process has started.”
She said that she and her sister desperately needed money.
Before their mother disappeared, they said that Mrs Montibon used to send them money from Bahrain regularly.
Maria Grace said that she and her husband would like to use it to ensure their three children a good future.
Gracela had to drop out of college after her mother was reported missing in Bahrain and is currently unemployed.
“There were questions about how Mrs Montibon could have accumulated so much money,” said one source close to the family.
“But since all seven bank accounts are in Mrs Montibon’s name, technically the BD20,000 is hers.
“If she is indeed dead, and it looks to me that she is, then I hope her daughters will be given access to these accounts.”
Mrs Montibon lived in Bahrain for over 15 years before she was reported missing by her Bahraini sponsor Ali Al Oraibi on November 5, 2004.
Immigration records in Bahrain show that she has not left the country.
Friends last saw her on November 4, 2004, but police did not search her one-bedroom flat in Manama until Maria Grace came to Bahrain in March last year.
During the search it was discovered that Mrs Montibon’s passport, house keys, car key and mobile phone were missing.
Her handbag, containing her CPR card, credit cards and about BD300 in cash, were found in the flat, all of which were handed over to Mrs Montibon’s daughter by police.
Her car was found parked near the Awal Cinema, in Manama, and has since been sold by Mr Al Oraibi, who sent the money – amounting to about BD700 – to Mrs Montibon’s daughters in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Mrs Montibon’s Bahraini landlord Mansour Alnashaba is still hoping to take the Philippine Embassy to court over her outstanding flat rent.
He claims the embassy became responsible for the BD450 arrears of Mrs Montibon when Maria Grace left Bahrain after giving up her mother for dead.
However, the embassy had said earlier this month that it could not be held legally responsible for any liability arising from a contract it had no knowledge about.
© Gulf Daily News