PBBM confirms Filipina fatality in Iran strike vs. Israel

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. confirms the death of a Filipina caregiver in Israel on Sunday evening, March 1, 2026. The overseas worker was killed during a retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel. (Courtesy: Bongbong Marcos / Screenshot)

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. confirmed the death of a Filipina caregiver in Israel, identified as Mary Ann Velasquez De Vera, who was killed while assisting her ward to a bomb shelter after Iran carried out a retaliatory attack on Israel on Sunday.

In a video statement, President Marcos said De Vera was killed by shrapnel while attempting to take cover from the bombings. She was later positively identified by her husband, who is also an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

“Siya po ay isang caregiver sa Israel na tinutulungan ang kanyang alaga para dalhin sa bomb shelter ngunit hindi na po nakaabot sa bomb shelter at inabutan na sila bago sila nakarating. Siya ay namatay dahil tinamaan ng shrapnel ng mga bumagsak na bomba,” he said.

(She was a caregiver in Israel who was helping her ward get to a bomb shelter, but they were unable to reach it and were caught before they arrived. She died after being hit by shrapnel from the bombs that fell.)

President Marcos assured that the government will provide all necessary support to De Vera’s family, emphasizing that they would keep monitoring the situation closely as the conflict goes on and will provide updates as soon as new information is available.

“Patuloy po ang ating pag-monitor sa kalagayan ng ating kababayan na nasa gitna nitong giyera dahil patuloy pa rin sa Middle East. Asahan po ninyo na kapag mayroong tayong mai-re-report ay i-re-report ko po sa inyo kaagad,” the chief executive said.

(We continue to monitor the situation of our fellow Filipinos who are in the midst of this war, as the conflict in the Middle East is ongoing. Rest assured that as soon as we have anything to report, I will immediately report it to you.)

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein first reported the death of the OFW during a televised interview in Tel Aviv, saying the Iranian regime was targeting not only Israel but also the wider region.

“This is a war crime, targeting civilians, including elderly women, and even killing her caregiver from the Philippines,” Marmorstein said.

“The Iranian regime is targeting not only us, in Israel, but they are targeting the entire region, and this must stop, this must be stopped, and this is what we are trying to do,” he added.

Over the weekend, the United States and Israel conducted multiple strikes against Iranian targets, prompting swift retaliatory actions by Iran.

Earlier, Iranian state television announced the death of their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to data from the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are approximately 31,000 OFWs in Israel or 1.27 percent of the estimated 2,443,700 Filipinos across the Middle East.

A report from Agence France Presse (AFP) as of 9:30 p.m. on Sunday placed the death toll from the Iran missile attack on Israel to eight, citing accounts from first responders. — Katrina Manubay