Noli: We still have 2-3 months to save Ranario

The Philippine government is eyeing a deadline of "two to three months" to save overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Marilou Ranario from her death sentence recently affirmed by a Kuwaiti court.

Vice president Manuel "Noli" de Castro Jr said Thursday the two- to three-month period is the usual time between the promulgation of sentence and the actual execution.

"Mga two to three months pa yan. (Meron tayong) panahon para gumawa pa ng paraan (We have two to three months to work with. We will have to find ways to save her within that time frame)," de Castro said in an interview on dzRH radio.

But he said their primary option remains with the emir of Kuwait. De Castro is to personally present a letter from President Arroyo to the emir to appeal for Ranario.

De Castro also said the Philippine government will continue exerting efforts to convince relatives of Ranario's employer to forgive her.

Earlier this week, a Kuwait high court affirmed the death sentence imposed on Ranario for killing her female employer. Ranario claimed her female employer maltreated her.

Aside from the emir, de Castro said the Philippine government has asked Bahrain, the Vatican and the European Union to help in its persuasion efforts.

"Ang Bahrain nilapitan na rin natin, magkakaibigan din yan. May impluwensya ang EU, at ang Vatican kahit di Katolikong bansa, lahat na pwede natin malapitan, nilalapitan para maligtas ang buhay ni Ranario (We have approached Bahrain because it enjoys good ties with Kuwait. We are also banking on the influence of the EU, and of the Vatican, even if Kuwait is not a Catholic nation)," he said.

De Castro said earlier he is ready to kneel before the emir of Kuwait if only to save Ranario's life. "Malaki ang pag-asa natin (Our hopes are high we can save her)," he said. - GMANews.TV

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