BY ASHZEL HACHERO and JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
A FILIPINO has been executed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the murder of a Saudi national, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said the department through the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has done everything it could to save the life of the Filipino, including a presidential letter of appeal, to no avail.
“Our embassy in Riyadh reports that there was an execution. It was for murder of a Saudi national over money,” De Vega said.
“We did all we could, including court appeal, and presidential letter of appeal, trying to get the victim’s family to accept blood money. In the end, our efforts were not successful as the victim’s family wanted the death penalty instead of accepting blood money,” he added.
President Marcos Jr said it was a “very unfortunate” incident but both the Philippines and Saudi Arabia have exhausted all measures to save the Filipino.
“We tried everything and for many, many years. and the Saudi government really tried to look and to be sure that the judgement … was actually deserved and nonetheless we, we appealed to the better nature, I guess, of our friends in Saudi Arabia to perhaps to have another look and they did,” he said in an interview before leaving for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Summit.
“Unfortunately, the law there is very strict and apparently the conviction has stood and one of ours has been taken away but yeah, very unfortunate,” Marcos added.
The President offered his condolences and assured the family that government is ready to help bring home the remains of the executed Filipino.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them… There is nothing that one can do to make it whole, but we will do our best,” Marcos said.
BLOOD MONEY REJECTED
De Vega said the victim’s family repeatedly refused offers of blood money and insisted on the imposition of death penalty.
De Vega did not provide additional details such as the name of Filipino or when the crime took place, adding the family of the executed Filipino “does not want publicity” of the case.
“Out of deference to their wishes, and out of respect for their privacy, we will withhold details on the case,” he said.
Reports of Kuwaiti media outfit Kuwait City News said the execution was carried out on October 5 in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said officials for his agency have visited the family and assured them of the government’s support.
Cacdac said the government also continues to provide assistance to other Filipinos on death row.
There are at least nine other death penalty cases in Saudi Arabia.
DFA records showed that as of last year, there were 83 Filipinos on death row abroad for various offenses.
Of these, 56 were in Malaysia while the rest in United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Japan and Brunei.
The figure included nine in Saudi Arabia.
PINOYS IN LEBANON
The President reiterated the government is exhausting all possible means to ensure the safety of over 40,000 Filipinos in Lebanon and Israel amid increasing tension in the Middle East.
Marcos also assured them that the government is doing all it can to “bring them home so that they have a place that they can feel safe in.”
“We hope that you will avail yourselves of our repatriation program while flights are available,” he added.
He said at least 1,500 Filipinos have applied for repatriation from Lebanon, including those who have come home.
He said at least 500 more are awaiting processing of their papers.
“The DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) will expedite this and OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) will be chartering the flights to bring them home,” the President added.
Marcos said the DFA, DMW, and OWWA are providing him with daily updates on the situation in Lebanon and Israel and the condition of the Filipinos there.
