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By Francis Earl A. Cueto Reporter
THE Department of Foreign Affairs
on Thursday expressed elation over successful efforts to save the
lives of 19 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sentenced to death for
crimes committed in different countries.
Seven of these 19 OFWs have
already been repatriated this year: Sarah Dematera, Damaso Atienza,
Jim Jailani, Melvin Obejera, Reynaldo San Pedro, Ronilo Arandia and
Fermie Salarza.
Twelve others, including Marilou
Ranario, are serving their prison sentences but are no longer
scheduled for execution. The 11 others are Guen Aguilar, Victoriano
Alfonso, Andy Baginda, Wilson Basilio, Ma. Fe Cruzado, Efren Dimaun,
Aristocles Escalante, Joel Sinamban, Zenaida Taulbee, Rolando
Villamin and Nonito Abono.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto
Romulo made the revelation during a Christmas luncheon briefing with
reporters.
In the case of Ranario, President
Gloria Arroyo successfully convinced the Emir of Kuwait to stop the
worker’s execution during a visit there on December 10.
Romulo, however, said that they
are also working on the cases of 27 other Filipinos who are on death
row.
Of this number, 22 cases are
punishable by death if the defendants are convicted.
“There are 27 active
death-penalty cases,” Romulo said. “This office [Foreign
Affairs] is monitoring these cases pending in court. Six cases are
in the prosecution stage.”
The militant group, Migrante,
earlier urged the government to save 36 other Filipino workers who
are on death row in different countries. The group said the
workers’ cases are very similar to Ranario’s, and many convicted
OFWs were just tortured into admitting guilt.
Of the 27 cases, Romulo said
eight cases involve OFWs in Saudi Arabia charged with murder. The
death convictions of two of three Filipinos found guilty of murder
in that country are already final and executory.
The names of the three Filipinos
were not disclosed.
Two Filipino women in Riyadh were
found guilty of murder with robbery, and are also awaiting
execution. Their convictions were sustained in the Court of Appeals
and affirmed in the Supreme Judicial Council.
Four OFWs in Kuwait are facing
murder charges, and another 10 are charged in Malaysia for offenses
ranging from drug trafficking, rape, homicide and robbery with
homicide.
The Department of Foreign Affairs
also recorded one death-penalty case each in Iran, the United States
and Brunei, and two in China.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary
for Migrant Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said the department is
monitoring on a weekly basis the cases of other OFWs sentenced to
death.
He expressed hope for the
convicted OFWs, saying some 19 have already been saved from the
death penalty.
“We’re on top of the
situation here,” Conejos said.
The department is also under
pressure to work on the cases of about 5,000 OFWs reportedly in jail
in many countries for other offenses, most of which are
immigration-related.
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