Thinking Pinoy Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto Faces Possible Congressional Probe For Selling Out OFWs in Kuwait for Clicks

Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto alias Thinking Pinoy is a sham artist whose lease on online “stardom” is at its inevitable end without any hope of renewal in sight.

This explains his desperate bid to claim a bit more online fame by uploading and sharing the rescue video of a distressed OFW.

He expected to claim that his “investigative journalist” prowess as well as his close connections with President Rodrigo Duterte had enabled him to land an “exclusive scoop”. He expected to earn even more renown as THE face of Duterte’s social media and be regaled as the more intelligent version of PCOO Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

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But the reality hit him hard. His fame whoring backfired and may soon land him in front of a congressional inquiry, this time around Nieto may be top billed as a criminal blogger.

Angkla Party-List Representative Jesulito A. Manalo filed resolution 1829 directing the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Oversease Workers Affairs to conduct a joint inquiry in aid of legislation over the rescue video and the resulting diplomatic row.

The parts of the resolution that appear scathing are the following:

these events constitute an international embarrassment that required public apologies from Ambassador Villa and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, as well as a personal apology from the President to the Ambassador of Kuwait to the Philippines, a situation that should be avoided at all costs;

in order to effectively protect OFWs, Philippine diplomatic staff should ensure that they, together with the OFWs they protect, adhere to the laws of the host country, and entirely avoid a situation where they are declared persona non-grata to the detriment of the OFWs;

Philippine diplomatic staff involved in the rescue of distressed OFWs must be made aware of the proper limits of their authority, the proper procedure and decorum in conducting such rescues, and the consequences of any breach of said limitations;

it is vital that a balance be reached between the mandate of Philippine diplomatic missions to protect the interests of Philippine nationals abroad, especially of distressed OFWs, under Article 3 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and our obligations under Article 42 to respect the laws and regulations of receiving States, to not interfere in their internal affairs, and to conduct official business through the proper ministries of the receiving States

Nieto’s uploading and sharing of video showing Filipino embassy officials running off with an OFW and speeding her away in a car enraged the OFW community and many of his online followers.

A number of OFWs expressed fears that some 250,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait may face even more abuse or much worse from their employers. Many cited that the video embarrassed the Kuwaiti government because it tended to expose their culture of slavery.

If it is true that Kuwaiti employers treat Filipinos like slaves, the “rescue” video of a Filipino OFW escaping might be seen as an act of defiance which could provoke some of Kuwaiti masters to punish their Filipino employees.

Not only that, Nieto also faces possible criminal prosecution for violating Article 118 under Book Two Crimes Against National Security Section One of the Revised Penal Code.

Art. 118. Inciting to war or giving motives for reprisals. …prision mayor upon any private individual, who, by unlawful or unauthorized acts provokes or gives occasion for a war involving or liable to involve the Philippine Islands or exposes Filipino citizens to reprisals on their persons or property.

 

22 Replies to “Thinking Pinoy Rey Joseph “RJ” Nieto Faces Possible Congressional Probe For Selling Out OFWs in Kuwait for Clicks”

  1. So basically what you’re saying is to ignore the abuse done to OFWs by the Kuwaitis, and ignore the illegal actions done on behalf of the Filipino embassy.. Instead, shoot the messenger for not sweeping it under the rug and punish him for exposing it?

    1. Never said that and that is not my intention. What I am saying is that we should not provide the Kuwaitis any reason for them to maltreat our people and this includes breaking their laws.

  2. Why blame Nieto? Did he commit OFW domestic abuse in Kuwait? Is it wrong to help these “kababayans” in distressed when the only one they can turn to is our very own Phl Embassy staff?

    1. There is nothing wrong with helping out the oppressed. But this was supposed to be a rescue mission, something they had to do in secret. What’s the point of rescuing these people secretly when the video is going to be posted publicly anyway? Point is, TP uploaded a video that could get other OFWs (still in Kuwait) and the PH government in big trouble.

  3. When a person decides to work overseas, that person should make all efforts to observe all customs and traditions in addition to the law of his host country. Being an OFW, he should know that what is applicable in the Philippines might not be applicable in his host country. Granted that OFWs, especially domestic helpers, are often abused, it does not warrant the Philippine government to break the host country’s laws.

  4. So ganun pala just be quiet about everything kaya tayo inaabuso kc d tayo pumapalag at alam nila n takot tayong pumalag dahil takot tayong mawalan ng trabaho? Habang patuloy ang pang aabuso ng mga kuwaiti? Ayaw nating ma embarass ang bansang ysn?pero tayo di nahihiyang ipagtanggol at ibug pang itago ang pang aabuso nila? Magagalit o galit kamo ang mga OFW tungkol s expose n to? Eh d hwag n silang magreklamo at hingi ng tulong sa gobyerno kung ganun. At ang mga nasa gobyerno nmsn natin galit k Nieto dahil ayaw malaman ng buong mundo? Dapat nga malaman dahil ang slavery ay isang human rights violation. Itong mga pulitikong to esp. mga dilawan ang iingay nyo sa issue ng EJK pero itong bagay n to porke pinagkakaperahan ayaw nyong iexpose!

      1. Victims of abuse were violated, but it’s the agents of the Duterte government who violated Kuwait laws?! And so are the abusive employers of those victims … unless the Kuwait government protects and connives with their abusive citizens.

  5. Hey Mr. Paul Farol, you can invoke all the laws. You can jail or hang, Thinking Pinoy aka RJ Nieto for his infraction of the laws. However, it will not solve the plight of our OFW, who are mistreated in Kuwait.

    The root of this abuse is the : “Kafala System” – It is the sponsorship system. Whereby it requires all unskilled laborers to have an in-country sponsor, usually, their employer, who are responsible for their visas and legal status.

    This practice has created easy opportunities for the exploitation of our OFWs. It has also made some illegal labor recruiters very rich. Sucking like leeches , on OFWs with exorbitant fees, before they can be sponsored by their foreign employers.

    Unless this system is improved; the abuse will go on.

    We can propose for a creation of some sort of a “Labor Union”, to protect our OFWs. Kuwait is a semi- democratic state in the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by an Emir… It may be interested in this idea, to solve our OFW maltreatment problems.

    Or, the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, in cooperation with the Philippines Department of Labor, can take up this sponsorship program, and can answer any complaint of maltreatment of any OFW, anytime.

    Vladimir Putin of Russia, has already opened Filipino OFWs, to work in Russia.

      1. Who had set up the economy for people to become OFWs ? For 30 years of Aquino era; the Aquinos , made our economy a “Hacienda Luisita economy”. They are the Feudal Lords, we are the “OFW tenants”. They own the lands. They own the stores, where, we buy our basic provisions. We toil, from dawn to dusk, and are even abused.

        So, it is our faults. We are like carabaos tethered by the nose; and led by these “Feudal Oligarch rulers”, to work as OFW servants/slaves overseas.

        We should hang these people who made us OFW slaves/servants, instead of blaming each other, who uploaded that idiotic video.

        1. First thing, you mentioned 30 years of Aquino rules. So you are saying that Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo did not became presidents of the country?! Lastly iho/iha or what ever you are, Filipinos became OFWs long before the Aquinos, Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo ever became presidents. In fact, it started during the time of Marcos. How do I know?! I am the son of an OFW -OCW (Overseas Contract Workers) back then- We lived overseas during the time of Marcos.
          So, get your facts right and stop spreading fake information.

        2. Yours is more like a half-truth.

          When we are referring the 30 years of Aquino rule, that means the Yellow Narrative is the prevailing narrative during that time. And yes, I agree tht OFWs started during Marcos’ time, but it was the Yellows who exploit the use OFWs through overdependence of them.

          Oh yeah, most Yellowtards love to spread fake information, I tell you.

  6. To make a deliberate falsification for personal gain is the last, worst depth to which either scholar or artist can descend in work or life.

  7. As of now, kay Bong Go nakabuntot si RJ Nieto. Ano , umaasa ng more permanent job?
    Typical sa mga social climber na tamad!
    The rescue inKuwait is supposed to be a covert operation and what is to be gained in bannering it?
    Remember,Remember why and when was RJ Nieto labelled as a BAREFACED LIAR by the NUJP!
    Btw, ano ba kinalaman ni RJ Nieto sa University Of ThePhilippines?
    Sana kasi nag ALS na lang si RJNieto para may tinapos!
    Nyetang nieto yan! Social climber na tamad!

  8. ideally as a political blogger, ones aim is to help support the govt of your preference thru ones huge following-and this seemed to go very well with RJ Nieto.I personally liked his writings at the start but noticed his arrogant and disgusting manners later and lost interest ! Many felt this way-I personally had a moment with him when i was calling and pleading sincerely for major bloggers to stop squabbling with each other in order to continue to support our President and his govt-Nieto was an FB friend then , he answered me.”Sino ka ba para sabihin sa akin kung ano ang kailangan kong gawin “and he unfriended me on the spot and told me “doon ka na lang so blog ko” when i was sincerely feeling that the infighting would be a big disadvantage to the strong support-I lost my respect and realized this guy has allowed his popularity to make his ego swell to a point of no return-What a pity, his ship is sinking because he does not have the finesse to discern properly as he looked down from his high throne-

  9. Ignore the abuse NO, but what gives you the right to change them? You don’t go there period! Or you change the rules & fix your own country, you don’t send Filipinos there. SOVEREIGNTY, remember that word PRRD keeps using? look it up. And the issue is not the abuse or the tape, docu or whatever, the issue is uploading it on the internet & causing Kuwait to lose face. We had the moral high ground after Dimafelis death/murder, we were poised to demand rights for our ofw’s & they were coming to the table. We lost that because of Nietos arrogance & ignorance of Diplomacy. And as a Filipina married to a foreigner, maybe you all should look to the savagery, brutality, cruelty that our own countrymen “Kababayans” are doing to foreigners in our own country. Ang bilis nyong to judge the Kuwaitis & shame them but do you bother to know what is happening in our own country. LOOK, READ & LEARN and then BE SHAMED—— BE VERY ASHAME
    https://www.facebook.com/cc.dreamteam/posts/643046162727259

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