The Tarhata Akaz Story

The case of Tarhata Akaz  presents another very sad case of a Filipino overseas. It is a story of a Filipino nurse who had married a powerful, influential but very Arab. Every now and then, or at the slightest misunderstanding , the husband would make a punching bag out of her – box her, kick , slap or hit her with just anything he could get his hands on. He would sometimes deliberately step on her food and force her to eat it.

When she could no longer endure the pains, Tarhata went to the Philippines Embassy. Señeres was not the ambassador yet at that time.

More concerned about the diplomatic relations between our country and the host government than protecting his countrymen, the incumbent envoy advised her just to go back to her husband and talk things over. Returning to the conjugal dwelling, Tarhata got worse beatings from her sadistic husband.

During the gulf war, her husband became apprehensive about the safety of the family that he brought her and their children to the Philippines . When the battles subsided, the couple went back to Abu Dhabi , leaving their children behind.

The beatings resumed as if they were the normal things happen in the couple’s residence.

One day, Tarhata managed to sneak out of the house and proceeded to the Embassy. Lucky for her, by that time Señeres had started to assume the position as the new ambassador.

However, two local policemen were ordered by her husband to follow her and fetch her from there. Señeres was attending an official function outside the Embassy. But when he returned and saw the two cops within the premises, he asked them. “ What are you doing here? If you don’t leave within the next few minutes, I will have you arrested by the diplomatic policemen!”

The law enforcers fled at once.

Subsequently , Señeres effected the return of  Tarhata to her hometown.