By Marita Moaje
MANILA – An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who had been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia has been acquitted and safely repatriated to the Philippines following sustained legal and diplomatic efforts by the Philippine government.
In an interview during the Mega Job Fair in Quezon City on Thursday, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the OFW had been detained at the Riyadh General Jail since September 2023 over drug-related charges and was convicted in September 2024.
The OFW was acquitted early this year and repatriated to the Philippines on June 10.
“We’re happy. He’s from Mindanao. We’re happy that he will finally be reunited with his family. And of course, tinulungan natin siya. Magaling yung abugado natin ngayon doon sa Riyadh (we helped him. Our lawyer in Riyadh is competent),” Cacdac said.
“Rest assured, lalo pa natin paigtingin yung legal assistance programs natin (we will further strengthen our legal assistance programs).”
He credited the OFW’s release to the effective legal representation and strong government coordination, led by the DMW in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The DMW said the OFW is currently under OWWA’s care at a hotel in Pasay City while preparing for his return to his hometown in Butuan City.
Cacdac said the government would also provide financial assistance and livelihood support to help the OFW rebuild his life.
“Kasi yan ang pinakadireksyon sa atin ng ating Pangulo (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) na magbigay talaga ng proteksyon at tulong doon sa mga OFWs, lalo na yung may kinakaharap na mga kaso. Lalo na yung mga wala namang pagkakasala, katulad nitong kaso na ito (Because that is the directive of our President to provide protection and assistance to OFWs, especially those facing cases, and especially those who are not guilty, like this case),” he said.
“Bibigyan namin siya ng financial assistance at tulong para makapagtayo ng negosyo. Sabi niya sa akin kahapon, ay gusto niya muling makapagtrabaho, so tutulungan din namin siya (We will give him financial assistance and help him start a business. He told me yesterday, he wants to work again, so we will also help him).”
Filipinos on death row
Cacdac disclosed that approximately 60 Filipinos are on death row around the world.
He said the majority are in Malaysia, followed by Saudi Arabia.
“Dito sa Malaysia, karamihan ay drugs eh, pero kasalukuyang nababawasan yung mga death row cases sa Malaysia kasi nagpasa ang Malaysia ng batas kamakailan lang, kung saan allowing to commute sentences from death to life (In Malaysia, most of the cases are drug-related, but currently, the death row cases in Malaysia are decreasing because Malaysia recently passed a law that allows commuting sentences from death to life [imprisonment]),” Cacdac said.
He added that the DMW regularly visits detained OFWs, assuring that the DMW lawyers are on top of every case. (PNA)
