Two Filipinas saved from death penalty in Saudi Arabia arrive in Manila

28 January 2010 – Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were saved from the death sentence in Saudi Arabia are expected to arrive in Manila Thursday evening, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today.

Idan Tejano and Marjanna Sakilan will arrive from Riyadh, accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Antonio Villamor.

Tejano and Sakilan, who hail from Batangas and Jolo, respectively, were charged of homicide and robbery for the death of Tejano’s pregnant lady employer on 21 May 2001.

The Jeddah General Shari’ah Court sentenced them to death by hanging (quisas) in May 2004, which the Supreme Judicial Council eventually affirmed but the execution was suspended due to the minority of the victim’s daughter.

There were apprehensions in 2005 that the sentence would be carried out given the gravity of the crime committed.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sent the first of several appeals to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on 23 July 2005 requesting the King to save the two Filipinas from death by an act of clemency.

In 2007, DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis delivered a second letter from President Arroyo to King Abdullah through the Director-General of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

After the settlement of the private rights aspect of the case, the Jeddah Grand Court eventually lowered the sentence of the two OFWs to 12 years imprisonment and 1,200 lashes.

The two served eight years and seven months in jail.

During the visit of President Arroyo to Saudi Arabia on 23 September 2009 for the inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, she handed a personal note to King Abdullah to once again request clemency and immediate repatriation of the two OFWs considering that both the private and private rights aspects of the case were already settled.

After follow up meetings with officials of the Saudi MFA and other agencies, Deputy Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Salam informed Ambassador Villamor of the signing of the order of release for the two Filipinas.

The Philippine Government, through the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate-General in Jeddah, is also making representations for the pardon of other Filipinos in Saudi jails.

It has redoubled its efforts in light of the announcement of the pardon issued by King Abdullah last 11 December 2009. To mark the return of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz from medical treatment abroad, the Saudi King issued royal pardons to prisoners who do not pose any danger to public security.

Both the Embassy and the Consulate-General submitted a list containing all Filipinos in Saudi jails for consideration to the royal pardon.

The royal pardons would cover those who are detained or sentenced to jail for petty crimes and violations, and who have made restitutions to their victims.

An initial batch of nine Filipinos have been pardoned and released under this royal decree.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Tehran warns Filipinos who intend to work in Iran as household service workers on the regulations of Iran for illegal foreign workers.

Foreign nationals who work illegally in Iran will be fined IR 300,000.00 (about US $30) for each day they overstay in the country.

The Embassy added that exit visas are not released without the payment of the penalties of overstay. Thus, workers who have been abandoned by their employer or agent end up being stranded in Iran for a long time, while the Embassy negotiates for their eventual repatriation.

Since the Iranian government does not allow foreign household service workers to work inside the country, Filipino household service workers who enter Iran from Dubai or other neighboring cities with tourist visa end up as illegal workers.