The treatment of Filipino workers in Canberra restaurants has taken a dramatic turn with the ABC reporting on allegations of abduction.
allegations a Filipino chef employed by a Canberra restaurant was abducted by his boss and driven to Sydney airport to be sent back to the Philippines.
Gary Sorrosa says he was kidnapped because he complained to the Department of Immigration about working conditions.
The ACTU has put out a media release but haven’t managed to get it on their website yet.
UPDATED: The Canberra Times has finally got the story online and it sounds like a bad business indeed.
He lodged a formal complaint with immigration officials in October last year and three days later five men arrived at his house in Narrabundah.
Mr Sorrosa alleged the men told him he was leaving the country and to hand over his passport, gave him 15 minutes to back his bags, pressed him to sign termination papers and forced him into the car.
“I didn’t sign [but] I was afraid they’d hurt me or my girlfriend,” he said.
His distraught girlfriend Ann Cabisidan called the Philippines embassy after the men had left with her boyfriend.
The men were reportedly taking him to Sydney International Airport when police stopped the car near Mittagong because the driver was speeding. Mr Sorrosa told the police he had been abducted and one of the officer’s reportedly drew his gun before handcuffing one of the men.
[On another note I bet Mr. Sorrosa is glad NSW hasn’t gone to “speed camera only” enforcement]