Wife of missing Filipino worker arrives on Saipan

The wife of missing Filipino worker Alex Matubis arrived on Saipan yesterday morning to find out what had happened to her husband.

Malou (short for Maria Luisia Fatima) Matubis, 39, said she strongly feels that her 47-year-old husband is still very much alive.

It was the same statement given by the Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation Division chief, Maj. Edward H. Manalili, who said that police have so far found no traces of foul play behind Matubis’ disappearance.

Malou met with reporters at Shirley’s Coffee Shop in Garapan yesterday afternoon and talked about several issues, including what she said were uncollected salaries that might have contributed to her husband’s depression.

She was accompanied by Irene Tantadio, president of the United Workers Movement, who encouraged her to come here and vowed to support her during her stay.

Malou, who worked here several years ago, said she is here on a 30-day tourist visa.

The missing worker’s wife said her husband might be with somebody else right now. She said Alex, a draftsman and cartographer for employer Candido Castro, has many friends on Rota or somebody might be keeping him.

She even appealed to Alex to come out so they could talk whatever problems he is encountering.

Matubis had gone home for a vacation in San Pedro, Laguna (just south of Manila) on May 14, and returned to Saipan on May 28.Less than a month later, he was reported missing on June 28.

Malou and Alex have two kids, who are 16 and 14 years old. They have been married the past 15 years.

She said Alex was sad because he was leaving them again but he could not do anything because he always thought of his children’s future, especially since the eldest is now in college.

She also said her husband was thinking of transferring to another company because of some financial problems with his employer. She said her problem right now is she doesn’t know how to deal with this issue because she has no record at all. She expressed hope that her husband’s employer would help her.

“We have no problems. Alex is a jolly person,” she said in Tagalog. She recalled reminding her husband to always take his medicine because Alex has hypertension and that he has a supply of vitamins and other medicines good for four months.

Malou also recalled that Alex even sent her money, including his savings from the bank, shortly before he was reported missing. The money was intended to pay for house rental and other expenses.

Malou said that Alex called her the day before he was supposed to go to Tinian on June 28. She said he promised to call her when he arrives on Tinian, which he never did.

On July 30, Minda Castro, the wife of his employer, called Malou to inform her about her missing husband.

She said she didn’t believe it at first besides even the police could not declare him missing because it has not been 72 hours since he was last seen.

Malou is planning to visit the Philippine Consulate General, the police station, and radio stations, as well as her husband’s employer, to ask for help.

Malou said her husband’s parents are not yet aware of what has happened to Alex.

She said she fears telling the news to her mother-in-law, who has high blood pressure.

Malou has this to say to Alex: “If you are still alive, please call our home. If you already know that I’m here on Saipan, please contact me so that we can talk whatever problems you have.”

Should anyone know of Alex’s whereabouts, contact Irene Tantadio at 322-8897.

Police believes that Matubis is still alive since, after his disappearance was reported in the papers on Aug. 8, he was later sighted in the Marpi area, leading to the discovery of his blue Toyota pickup truck near the Kalabera Cave on Aug. 19.

The police official noted that the hood of the truck was still warm when investigators found the vehicle.

The CID chief is asking anybody in the community to call his office at 664-9042/45, 911 or the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 234-7272 for any sightings of Matubis.