OFW on death row in Saudi for drugs

MANILA, Philippines - A Saudi Arabia court has sentenced to death an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) after finding him guilty of drug trafficking, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

DFA Undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said the Philippine embassy in Riyadh reported to the DFA that the case is now on appeal before the Court of Appeals of Saudi Arabia.

Conejos refused to disclose the OFW’s identity and no further details were given.

“We have one in Middle East, in Jeddah who was convicted about three weeks ago for drug trafficking and sentenced to death. The case is now on appeal,” he said.

According to Conejos, the DFA is actively monitoring 85 OFWs on death row. Of this figure, 15 are murder cases while 70 are drug-related – 60 in China and 10 in Malaysia.

Under Chinese law, when one is convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death, there is a two-year reprieve attached to the death sentence.

“If during the two-year period you demonstrate good behavior, that good behavior will be credited in your favor and at the end of (this) period, the death sentence will be automatically commuted to life… or 15 years’ imprisonment, depending on the number of grams of shabu or heroin” involved in the case, Conejos said.