Group, ulama seek pardon for OFW in death row
A Muslim leader and a militant migrants’ rights group have joined the clamor to spare overseas 34-year-old Filipino worker (OFW) Jakatia Pawa, who is now on death row in Kuwait.
Shari’a Court Judge Abu Ali Cali, president of the Ulama League of the Philippines (ULP), wrote to fellow ulama (Islamic scholars) in Kuwait to plead for Pawa's life.
“Muslims here have code of working so justice can be shown to all Filipinos, especially Muslims, working overseas," Cali said in an article on the Union of Catholic Asian (UCA) News website.
He undertook efforts to get help from fellow ulamas “so Jakatia can receive the required letter of forgiveness from the family."
This week, the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation upheld the verdict on Pawa, a native of Zamboanga Sibugay province.
As a result, he will be hanged for killing the 22-year-old daughter of her employer, for whom she has worked for over five years. [See: Kuwaiti high court: It’s death for Pinay overseas worker]
Pawa has maintained her innocence, telling the court that one of the victim’s family members might have committed the crime as the victim allegedly had an illicit love affair with a male neighbor.
Under Shari’a law, Pawa’s life can be spared if the victim’s family forgives her.
Cali said they hope Pawa will be released through Shari’a Law and allowed to return to the Philippines "where she can live her life fully as a Filipina Muslim."
As this developed, an alliance of migrant Filipinos similarly called on the government to prevent a 7th overseas worker from being hanged, even as it hit the administration for having the highest number of beheaded OFWs.
“The Arroyo administration already holds the record of having the most number of OFWs that were beheaded under its watch," Migrante chairperson Garry Martinez said.
According to Migrante records, six OFWs in death row have already been executed since 2001.
The OFWs were Antonio Alvesa, Sergio Aldana, Miguel Fernandez, Wilfredo Bautista, Reynaldo Cortez, and Venancio Ladion a.k.a. Jenifer Bidoya.
“Most of the cases of OFWs in death row are either being bungled by the government or have not received proper legal assistance from our embassies abroad," Martinez maintained.
He cited the case of Ladion who was given a lawyer only after the third hearing of his case.
In self defense, Ladion killed a Saudi man who tried to rape him, according to Martinez. [See: Filipino beheaded for murder in Saudi Arabia]
“The Gonzales brothers, Cabalens of President Arroyo, were tortured to admit heinous crimes they did not commit. But the government has not raised any howl against the torture," Martinez added. [See: Govt urged to look into case of 3 Pinoys on Jeddah death row]
The alarming increase in the number of OFWs in death row is due to the government’s thrust to aggressively market OFWs abroad at the expense of their protection against abuses and exploitation, Migrante said.
“Saudi Arabia, for example, remains as the top destination for Pinay domestic helpers despite the fact that female OFWs suffer the most gruesome cases of abuse in that country." Martinez said.
Meanwhile, the Middle East chapter of Migrante has launched the “Save OFW Pawa" signature campaign for a petition to at least commute Pawa’s sentence.
The petition will be sent to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. - GMANews.TV
Shari’a Court Judge Abu Ali Cali, president of the Ulama League of the Philippines (ULP), wrote to fellow ulama (Islamic scholars) in Kuwait to plead for Pawa's life.
“Muslims here have code of working so justice can be shown to all Filipinos, especially Muslims, working overseas," Cali said in an article on the Union of Catholic Asian (UCA) News website.
He undertook efforts to get help from fellow ulamas “so Jakatia can receive the required letter of forgiveness from the family."
This week, the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation upheld the verdict on Pawa, a native of Zamboanga Sibugay province.
As a result, he will be hanged for killing the 22-year-old daughter of her employer, for whom she has worked for over five years. [See: Kuwaiti high court: It’s death for Pinay overseas worker]
Pawa has maintained her innocence, telling the court that one of the victim’s family members might have committed the crime as the victim allegedly had an illicit love affair with a male neighbor.
Under Shari’a law, Pawa’s life can be spared if the victim’s family forgives her.
Cali said they hope Pawa will be released through Shari’a Law and allowed to return to the Philippines "where she can live her life fully as a Filipina Muslim."
As this developed, an alliance of migrant Filipinos similarly called on the government to prevent a 7th overseas worker from being hanged, even as it hit the administration for having the highest number of beheaded OFWs.
“The Arroyo administration already holds the record of having the most number of OFWs that were beheaded under its watch," Migrante chairperson Garry Martinez said.
According to Migrante records, six OFWs in death row have already been executed since 2001.
The OFWs were Antonio Alvesa, Sergio Aldana, Miguel Fernandez, Wilfredo Bautista, Reynaldo Cortez, and Venancio Ladion a.k.a. Jenifer Bidoya.
“Most of the cases of OFWs in death row are either being bungled by the government or have not received proper legal assistance from our embassies abroad," Martinez maintained.
He cited the case of Ladion who was given a lawyer only after the third hearing of his case.
In self defense, Ladion killed a Saudi man who tried to rape him, according to Martinez. [See: Filipino beheaded for murder in Saudi Arabia]
“The Gonzales brothers, Cabalens of President Arroyo, were tortured to admit heinous crimes they did not commit. But the government has not raised any howl against the torture," Martinez added. [See: Govt urged to look into case of 3 Pinoys on Jeddah death row]
The alarming increase in the number of OFWs in death row is due to the government’s thrust to aggressively market OFWs abroad at the expense of their protection against abuses and exploitation, Migrante said.
“Saudi Arabia, for example, remains as the top destination for Pinay domestic helpers despite the fact that female OFWs suffer the most gruesome cases of abuse in that country." Martinez said.
Meanwhile, the Middle East chapter of Migrante has launched the “Save OFW Pawa" signature campaign for a petition to at least commute Pawa’s sentence.
The petition will be sent to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. - GMANews.TV
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