Filipino executed for murder in Saudi Arabia —DFA

A Filipino in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been executed for the murder of a Saudi national, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday.

In a message, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the department did all it could regarding the case of the accused Filipino, including sending a presidential letter of appeal, but its efforts were not successful.

“No official confirmation from Saudi authorities yet but yes, our Embassy in Riyadh reports that there was an execution. It was for murder of a Saudi national over money,” De Vega said.

“We did all we could: court appeal, presidential letter of appeal, trying to get the victim’s family to accept blood money. In the end, our efforts were not successful as the victim’s family wanted the death penalty instead of accepting blood money,” he added.

According to De Vega, the family of the executed Filipino does not want publicity over the case

“Out of deference to their wishes, and out of respect to their privacy, we will withhold details on the case. We appeal to the media and the public to understand and heed the wishes of the family,” he said.

In a chance interview in Villamor Air Base, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac ensured that the government would provide assistance to the executed Filipino's family.

''The family is requesting privacy. Rest assured we're assisting them, the family and this is a case na medyo matagal na rin, nasa OWWA pa ko noon [this case had been for here for awhile, back when I was still with OWWA],'' Cacdac told reporters.

''Ýun nga, the family is requesting privacy, galangin na lang natin 'yung privacy ng family (let us respect the family's privacy),'' he added.

Cacdac also emphasized that the government had exhausted all measures as regards the case.

Cacdac said the DMW is working closely with the DFA in the immediate repatriation of the Filipino's body.

GMA News Online has reached out to Philippine Embassy in Riyadh Chargé d'affaires Rommel Romato for more information about the case but he has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

As of March 2023, the DFA said there are 83 Filipinos abroad are on death row in different countries due to various offenses.

Of the said figure, 56 are in Malaysia while the rest are facing death row in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, USA, Japan and Brunei.

Most of the death row cases involve illegal drugs and theft.  —with Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK/RSJ, GMA Integrated News