KUWAIT CITY, Aug 6: A Filipina working as a receptionist in one of the accommodation buildings for American expatriates in Fintas was found dead on Friday at the basketball court after allegedly falling off the building’s terrace.

The victim identified as Juvy Montesoso, 32, a single mother and a native of Talisay, Cebu City in the Philippines was found lying flat on her back by the security personnel of the building.
Eyewitnesses told the Arab Times on Saturday that one of the security guards in the building heard a thudding sound at the basketball court in the centre of the four towers, prompting him to rush to the scene where he saw Montesoso’s lifeless body lying a few meters away from the basket of the basketball court below Tower B.

“I can’t believe that Juvy is gone. I even chatted with her online last Thursday afternoon and at around 10:15 pm on Thursday, I called her up and we talked for about two minutes and asked her where she was. She sounded happy and told me that she’s in Fahaheel together with her American boyfriend at the money exchange centre to send money to her family in the Philippines and that was the last time I’ve heard from her,” recounted one of close her friends who is still in shock upon learning Montesoso’s death. She pointed out that there is no reason for Montesoso to commit suicide or jump off the building taking into account of her good disposition in life. “She’s a very happy person. She’s very strong and can confront problems in life head on. It’s impossible for her to commit suicide especially that she has a six-year-old daughter in the Philippines,” she stressed.

On the other hand, Montesoso’s cousin cannot control her tears as she narrated to the Arab Times that the deceased just came back from her vacation from the Philippines. “It’s just been a while now since she came from after spending one month with her family in Cebu. She’s a jolly person and full of dreams. She’s been in Kuwait for three years now, working so hard for her family and for her daughter especially that she has to raise her kid on her own,” she wept.  She added that she cannot find any reason for Montesoso to take her own life especially that she has a good job and a happy relationship with her American boyfriend who’s stationed in one of the US camps here. “They’ve been going steady for 9 months now and they’re together on the night before she died. It’s also hard to speculate or accuse anyone at this point but we just want the truth to come out on what has caused her death. Did she fall accidentally off the terrace? Did someone push her off? Or was she already dead when she fell from the building?” she pointed out.

Her colleagues at work were also shocked of the incident. “It was between 8 and 9 in the morning last Friday. I was inside the shower when one of the security guards pounded heavily on our door. Then our Nepalese housemate called on me and told me that Juvy was found dead. I was screaming and ran out of our flat to the basketball court and saw Juvy’s body with her eyes closed. Her arms stretched and I saw a big blood clot on her right arm. There was not much of a blood,” informed one of Montesoso’s housemate. She added that a few minutes later, an ambulance arrived and Kuwaiti police authorities cordoned off the area and took Montesoso’s body to the ambulance.

“I haven’t slept well since the day she died. I can’t even eat every time I remember her. We just want to know what really happened to her. If there’s any foul play then, the one who did this to her must pay,” reiterated Montesoso’s housemate.

Meanwhile, Montesoso’s Facebook account was also filled with messages from friends who expressed shock and offered prayers on her demise. Montesoso’s cousin in Kuwait already informed her family in the Philippines. Her brother-in-law also posted this message on Montesoso’s Facebook: “We have just learned that Juvy has died. We can’t believe it. We are still seeking for the truth of the unfortunate incident! She is my good sister-in-law here in the Philippines, a very good provider and a good mother. Could you please help us find the truth? We can’t do anything here in the Philippines but to ask anyone from Kuwait. Let us pray for the eternal peace of her soul.”

Montesoso’s cousin and friends are now appealing to the Philippine Embassy to help in the investigation of her death and in the repatriation of her remains to the Philippines. “We just want to know the truth. We hope that the Philippine Embassy can help us. It’s such a waste that Juvy had to go like this,” stated Montesoso’s cousin.

The Arab Times reached on Saturday the embassy’s Head of the Assistance to the Nationals Unit, Dalidig Ibrahim Tanandatu who vowed to coordinate closely with the Kuwaiti authorities to shed light on Montesoso’s case. “This will be our top priority on Sunday. We will try our best to get to the truth of the victim’s death and extend all the assistance that we can give,” assured Tanandatu.