We can say that Saudi Arabia is one of the frontline states, a frequent destination for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

According to reports, there are over 1.1 million Filipinos in that country.

The report also states that OFW remittances contribute nearly 40 billion pesos to the Philippine economy each year.

However, while the exodus of Filipinos has a positive effect on the country’s economy, it is undeniable that because of the vast cultural differences, Filipinos working there often experience abuse.

You have probably heard many stories about the sad fate of our kababayans in the Middle East.

A Grisly Discovery in Nueva Ecija

One day, while a farmer was walking to his field in the province of Nueva Ecija, in the town of Cabiao, he discovered a bucket containing a horrifying object.

The bucket seemed to have been deliberately thrown into a canal. He was curious about its contents, thinking he might be able to use it, so he approached it slowly.

He was shocked when he opened the bucket and found it contained the severed head of a woman.

In his shock, he jumped back and moved away from the bucket. When he regained his composure, he noticed a sack not far away.

Despite his fear, he bravely checked its contents. Inside, he found documents.

While looking through the documents, he found the woman’s identity through her passport and birth certificate.

The woman in the documents and the head in the bucket belonged to the same person: Maribelle Al-pas.

Who Was Maribelle Al-pas?

Maribelle was born on February 2, 1983, and grew up in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.

She was close to her family, especially her nieces and nephews. According to her sister, Josabel, Maribelle dreamed of changing their lives and providing a good future for her parents.

That is why, even at 31 years old, she chose to help her family before settling down.

Josabel added that Maribelle was the one who supported her and sent her to college.

Maribelle lived a simple life in the province, but because she wanted to improve their situation and fulfill her family’s dreams, she decided to work abroad as an OFW.

In 2011, Maribelle’s departure pushed through. She flew to Europe, to Warrington, UK.

Despite the hardship of being far from her family, she continued to work abroad for them.

Whenever Maribelle received her salary, she would send almost all of it to her parents.

After two years of working as an OFW, she returned to the Philippines to visit and spend time with her family.

A Fateful Vacation

In March 2014, she was scheduled to leave again and return to the UK. But a devastating piece of news reached her parents.

According to reports, Maribelle’s head had been found in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.

When they learned the news, Maribelle’s sister, Josabel, immediately traveled to Cabiao. When she arrived, she confirmed that the head found was indeed her sister’s.

However, Josabel was dismayed because her body was missing.

Investigators who surveyed the site where the head was found believed it was merely dumped there, as there were no traces of blood in the surrounding area.

The authorities were puzzled. Even though they knew the victim’s identity, they wondered why she was in Nueva Ecija when her documents stated she was from Negros Occidental.

The UK Connection

The authorities’ questions were seemingly answered when they found a contract stating that Maribelle was employed by the couple Dennis and Girly Samson.

Through investigation, the authorities learned that the Samson couple was originally born in the Philippines but chose to work and live abroad.

The couple had two children, and because they both worked, they needed help caring for their children.

After Maribelle and her future employers agreed on her responsibilities and salary, her papers were processed.

In 2011, all her documents were ready, so she bid farewell to her family and left for London.

When she arrived at the couple’s home, she performed her duties well.

The Itinerary and the White Truck

In addition to the contract, authorities also found a handwritten itinerary for Maribelle’s 2014 trip.

The paper detailed her plans, from her arrival at the airport, her trip to the town of Sta. Rosa, and which highway to take.

According to the note, she was supposed to arrive at a gas station on Maharlika Highway at 10:00 PM.

This itinerary became the guide for the investigation. The gas station manager immediately cooperated, showing them the CCTV footage where Maribelle might have been captured.

On the footage, authorities discovered that Maribelle had successfully arrived in Nueva Ecija.

A few minutes later, a white Isuzu truck arrived to pick her up. The authorities were positive it was a man who met her.

Maribelle got into the truck immediately, appearing to know the driver well.

According to a farmer, they saw the white truck pass by before Maribelle’s severed head was found.

The farmer remembered the vehicle because he had tried to hitch a ride, but it was moving too fast.

The Employers’ Relatives

Using the address found in the documents, they went to her employers’ house in Lourdes, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, but the couple was not there.

According to neighbors, the couple was no longer in the Philippines and had returned abroad.

Months passed, but the authorities did not stop. They had a bad feeling, so they decided to surveil the house.

During their surveillance, they saw a man coming out of the house. They identified him as Elcielo Valdez.

They questioned the man and showed him a photo of Maribelle, but he denied knowing her.

The authorities also questioned the neighbors. One neighbor mentioned seeing a large fire and smoke coming from the Samson’s property, thinking the house was burning.

The security guard also testified that their officer-in-charge had mentioned that Reginald Samson borrowed Elcielo Valdez’s Isuzu truck, claiming he needed to take a relative to the hospital.

According to authorities, Reginald Samson is the brother of Maribelle’s employer, Dennis Samson, and Elcielo Valdez is his brother-in-law.

The Motive of Jealousy

In an interview, Josabel stated that after the Samson couple left to return abroad, Maribelle stayed behind and extended her vacation to be with her family.

She added that Maribelle was in Nueva Ecija to retrieve important documents before returning to the UK.

They knew Maribelle was going to her employer’s house, and because it was far, Josabel made sure to text her sister constantly, from the moment she left until she arrived.

She said her sister replied frequently, but once she reached the gas station in Nueva Ecija, she stopped responding.

Using Josabel’s testimony, authorities immediately went to a judge to request a search warrant for the Samson house, believing they would find evidence there.

The judge approved the warrant. Authorities, along with the SOCO team, went to the Samson house but could not immediately enter as no one was home.

They approached the Samson’s relatives for permission, who gave them the go-signal.

While the search was ongoing, authorities also contacted the UK police to ask for their side and to determine if the Samson couple was involved in what happened to Maribelle.

The UK police immediately cooperated and visited the couple. They went to Warrington Hospital, where the couple worked.

The hospital responded by suspending the couple from their jobs until they were proven to have no involvement.

The Employers’ Denial

In an article posted by a news outlet, Girly Samson was interviewed. She stated that as Maribelle’s employers, they were stressed and angered by what happened.

She said Maribelle had been a great help to their family since she arrived.

They lived peacefully in their three-story semi-detached townhouse, and even their neighbors loved Maribelle for her natural kindness.

They also claimed they did not treat Maribelle as a maid but as part of their family.

In November 2013, the Samson family celebrated Christmas and New Year in the Philippines, and they brought Maribelle with them, paying for her plane ticket home.

After the celebrations, the Samson family returned to the UK, but Maribelle stayed behind.

According to Girly, Maribelle was scheduled to return to the UK on March 21 but never made it because she was killed the day before her flight.

Girly denied any involvement, saying they could never do such a thing because they treated her like family. Dennis Samson echoed his wife’s statement.

The Gruesome Findings

Dennis shared that they had no involvement, as they had been out of the Philippines for a long time.

He also mentioned that before Maribelle returned to the UK, he had asked her to go to Nueva Ecija to pick up a document and bring it to the UK.

When the authorities received the results of the couple’s interview, they interviewed Josabel again.

Josabel shared that her sister never mentioned any abuse from her employers. The only complaint Maribelle had was her small salary.

Maribelle had planned to endure it for a few more years to apply for British residency, which would allow her to find a better job.

When the results of the search warrant came out, they had gathered evidence that would help the case.

One of the things they found was a burn pit in front of the Samson house.

When they looked closely, they reportedly found human bones. Not far away, they found a septic tank.

When they opened it, they found more bones and documents belonging to Maribelle.

According to authorities, the larger bones were thrown into the septic tank, while the smaller ones were left in the burn pit.

Besides the bones found at the Samson house, they also found human bones at Reginald’s house, which they suspected belonged to Maribelle.

The Vanishing Suspects

Using the overwhelming evidence, the prosecution immediately filed a case against Reginald Samson and Elcielo Valdez.

The authorities theorized that the suspects might have been under the influence of illegal drugs when they committed the horrific crime.

The senior inspector of the Cabiao police supported this theory, as they reportedly found illegal drugs in the Samson house.

Neighbors also stated that Reginald was a known pusher in their area.

The mayor of Hinoba-an, Ernesto Estrao, also commented, theorizing that jealousy was the motive for Maribelle’s murder.

He added that Maribelle’s female employer’s brother was proven to be lying, as Elcielo himself was seen on the gas station’s CCTV picking her up.

According to the mayor, it wasn’t Dennis who asked her to get the document, but his wife, Girly.

Unbeknownst to Maribelle, her employer had a sinister plan for her.

The mayor suggested the root of it all was that Maribelle’s female employer was jealous of the special attention Dennis Samson was giving Maribelle.

To prevent her husband from being unfaithful, she allegedly had Maribelle killed.

A Cold Case

A month after the case was filed, the judge approved the subpoena. Maribelle’s family was ready to file the case, as their evidence was strong.

However, the suspects did not show up for the first appearance of the trial process.

According to Josabel, the suspects’ lawyer asked for an extension to submit their counter-affidavit.

After three hearings, and when the arrest warrant was released in March 2015, the two suspects vanished like bubbles.

Maribelle’s family was extremely dismayed that the Samson couple in the UK were able to return to their normal jobs, as the Philippine authorities reportedly failed to show strong evidence to the UK police.

To attract public attention that might help find the suspects, Maribelle’s family created a Facebook page.

As of today, they are still at large, living freely as if they committed no crime.

Meanwhile, Maribelle’s family remains in sorrow, forever grieving her loss.

The reason for Maribelle’s death remains a big question. Until the suspects are caught, we can only theorize.

Clarity will only come when Reginald Samson and Elcielo Valdez are captured.