A Filipino woman who won a legal battle in Turkey for custody of her child after being divorced from her Turkish husband returned to the Philippines Tuesday afternoon. Radio dzXL reported early Wednesday that Jeanette Ramos Manuel and child Hannah arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 2:35 P.M. Tuesday via a Qatar Airways flight. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) head Carmelita Dimzon led officials in welcoming Manuel. Dimzon said the OWWA extended some $4,000 in legal aid to Manuel during her fight to gain custody of her child, and to convince Turkish authorities to let her return home. Also, she lauded Philippine Ambassador Pedro Chan for helping Manuel during her eight-month legal ordeal. On Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Turkey's Second Denizli Family Court resolved the divorce and child custody case filed by Manuel. Manuel had met and discussed her case with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the president's visit to Turkey on Sept. 16 last year, the report said. The embassy also provided custody to the mother and her then four-month-old infant for eight months while the case was being resolved. The DFA said the Philippine Embassy will continue to coordinate with lawyer Cenk Ozen, Manuel's counsel, on the implications of the court decision on the father's visitation rights since the plaintiff and defendant will be living in different countries. The court decision requires the child to stay with her father, Oguzhan Dur, from the first day until the seventh day of winter break, and every year from July 1 to 20.
