Noli leads gov’t effort to save Pinay sentenced to death in Kuwait

A top-level government team led by Vice President Noli de Castro is set to leave soon for Kuwait to convey President Arroyo’s appeal to spare the life of a 33-year-old mother of two sentenced to death by hanging.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President again sent her reassurances to the family of Marilou Ranario, who worked as a domestic helper prior to her conviction by a Kuwaiti court, that the government "will do everything it can" in order to help her.

De Castro "is also expected to hand-carry a letter of appeal from the President to the Kuwait’s Emir," Bunye said in a statement. "The President understands the pressure and pain that (Ranario’s) family is experiencing right now and she would like to assure them that the government will do everything it can in order to help Marilou."

He said De Castro will be accompanied by Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño and Dr. Bernardino Vicente, chief of the National Center for Mental Health and NCMH forensic psychiatrist Dr. Edison Galindez.

He said De Castro’s team will coordinate with the Kuwaiti lawyers appealing Ranario’s death sentence, which was meted because she allegedly killed her rich female employer.

Bunye said that immediately after learning of Ranario’s plight, Mrs. Arroyo immediately instructed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo to look into the case and exhaust all diplomatic and legal means to save her life.

The President also instructed Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas to look after Ranario’s family, he said.

Philippine Charge d’Affaires in Kuwait Ricardo Endaya reported that Ranario was provided legal assistance as the case was heard before the circuit criminal court and that a new lawyer was also hired to represent her while the case is on appeal, Bunye said.

"Efforts are also being exerted by our diplomatic post officials to convince the victim’s family to agree to a settlement by accepting what is known as ‘blood money’ although initial offers were turned down by the victim’s family," Bunye said.

Ranario, an education graduate, left for Kuwait almost two years ago. In a long distance call to her father sometime last year Ranario said she wanted to return home but was being prevented from leaving by her employer, who had reportedly kept her passport.

Meanwhile, Sen. Ralph Recto revealed yesterday that Kuwait accounted for two out of five Filipina runaways who sought refuge in the country’s 82 embassies and consulates in the second half of 2004.

Of the 5,583 "Filipinos in distress" cases handled by Philippine consulates worldwide from July to December that year, 2,122 were Filipinas who ran to Filipino diplomats in Kuwait for help, Recto said, quoting a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) report.

The DFA situationer on Kuwait is contained in the 430-page "Report to Congress," which surveys working conditions in every country where Filipinos are employed.

During that period, 1,043 Filipinos, all female, were repatriated to the Philippines after they had a run-in with Kuwaiti authorities or a falling out with their employers.

Upon receiving the report, Recto urged the government to look into the plight of Filipino workers in Kuwait.

"Diplomacy requires us to take the view that abuses are done by individuals and not sanctioned by the Kuwaiti government," Recto said.

He said problems encountered by Filipinos in Kuwait should be solved through close coordination between Filipino and Kuwaiti officials, as he added that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have contributed to Kuwait’s progress.

Recto also proposed that a study be made by Filipino diplomatic and labor authorities "as to the peculiarities of Kuwaiti society and labor market," not just to "pinpoint and remedy any problem areas," but also to "forewarn and forearm" Filipinos who are being recruited to work there.

One in every 12 cases of OFW repatriation last year was also from Kuwait, Recto added. In the same report, the DFA said it handled 12, 613 repatriation cases worldwide during the period.

There are now an estimated 73,000 Filipinos, 60,000 of whom are women and mostly domestic helpers, working in Kuwait.

The DFA report said "domestic helpers are the most vulnerable to exploitation and abuse as they are not covered by the Kuwait Labor Law."
— Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez