FACT CHECK: FB video falsely shows suspect in the killing of Filipino worker in Kuwait 

Feb. 13, 2023

CLAIM: A Facebook (FB) user shared a video claiming it shows the 17-year-old suspect in the brutal killing of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jullebee Ranara in Kuwait last month.

The video showed the police escorting a man wearing a prison uniform inside a court and a judge speaking in English. It also included images of Ranara and a screenshot of a video of the bereaved family waiting for her remains to arrive in Manila from Kuwait on January 27. 

RATING: False

FACTS:

The footage used in the FB video shows an old US court hearing for 17-year-old Stephen Braden Powell after he was charged with the murder of an 11-year-old girl. Clips were taken from a July 2019 video published on the YouTube channel of US-based FOX Carolina News. The video title reads: Judge denies bond for man accused of killing Ja’Naiya Scott.

Ranara, a 35-year-old domestic helper, is the latest OFW killed while deployed in Kuwait. Her burnt corpse was found in a desert in Kuwait on January 22. 

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the 17-year-old suspect in Ranara’s killing, who is the son of her employer, is now under police custody. 

In a statement on January 29, the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait said Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, “condemned” Ranara’s murder and that the perpetrator “will be punished for this heinous crime”.

Pres. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. had also visited Ranara’s wake and assured her family of government support.


Davao Today is part of #FactsFirstPH which brings together various sectors that are committed to promoting truth in the public space, and exacting accountability on those who harm it with lies. For those interested to join the initiative, email info@factsfirst.ph.

, ,
comments powered by Disqus