44 Pinoys abroad face death penalty

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) — during Senate budget deliberations on Wednesday — revealed that 44 Filipinos abroad currently face death penalty convictions.

Among the cases is a female overseas Filipino worker (OFW) detained in Saudi Arabia for the past seven years.

According to Senator Joel Villanueva, the worker allegedly stabbed her employer in self-defense after enduring verbal and physical abuse.

“A petition for reconsideration was submitted through the department’s legal retainer,” said Villanueva, adding that efforts to negotiate “blood money” settlements have been unsuccessful so far.

In Malaysia, 41 Filipinos — 33 men and eight women — face death penalty sentences, mostly for drug-related offenses.

These cases predate the transfer of the assistance-to-nationals function from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the DMW, as Villanueva confirmed that the Migrant Workers Office in Malaysia has been providing financial aid to the detained individuals.

Meanwhile, two Filipino men in Brunei have also been convicted of murder.

One case, dating back to 2015, involves an OFW convicted of murdering a Bruneian national, while another involves the killing of the OFW’s girlfriend.

Although both face capital punishment, their executions are currently on hold due to Brunei’s de facto moratorium on the death penalty, which has not been enforced since 1957.