Renewed calls for stronger legal aid after Filipino’s execution in Saudi Arabia

Calls for stronger protection and enhanced legal aid for Filipino migrant workers have resurfaced anew following the execution of a Filipino convicted of murder in Saudi Arabia. 

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migration Eduardo Jose de Vega on Tuesday confirmed the death of the Filipino national, who had pleaded guilty to the murder of a Saudi Arabian in 2020. 

In 2022, the Filipino was sentenced to death, and the Philippine government has since then attempted to stop the execution through a presidential appeal.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government had exhausted all possibilities to save the Filipino's life, but to no avail, citing Saudi Arabia's "very strict" laws. 

OFW Rep. Marissa Magsino emphasized that the recent execution highlights the need of Filipino migrant workers for proper legal representation and support, particularly in severe cases involving capital punishment.

"While we respect the laws and judicial processes of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, this tragic incident highlights the vulnerability of our fellow Filipinos abroad, both overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and overseas Filipinos, especially those facing criminal charges in foreign countries," she stated. 

According to the lawmaker, continued efforts have been made to ensure more robust protection for OFWs, guarantee their rights, and strengthen diplomatic measures to safeguard their welfare. 

These include enhancing legal aid and creating preventive programs that educate OFWs about the laws and customs of their host countries. 

Magsino, meanwhile, called on the government to look into the contributing factors behind the growing number of OFWs on death row and to improve the assistance provided to them, including alleviating their conditions during incarceration.

Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac assured that the kin of the executed Filipino would receive assistance from the government. 

He added that they, along with the DFA, are processing the immediate repatriation of the Filipino's body.

As of March last year, the DFA disclosed that 83 Filipinos overseas are on death row, most of which cases are already final and executory.

Fifty-six cases are in Malaysia alone, while six are in the United Arab Emirates, five in Saudi Arabia, and 15 in countries such as Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, the United States, Japan, and Brunei.

Mary Jane Veloso, who was set to be executed in April 2015 but was spared at the last minute to testify against recruiters who had allegedly tricked her into heroin trafficking, remains the most high-profile instance of a Filipino awaiting execution.