The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that a Filipino has been executed for murder in Saudi Arabia. No details confirm how the action was carried out.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega reported that they did everything they could regarding the case of the accused Filipino. However, the execution has still been carried out.
“No official confirmation from Saudi authorities yet, but yes, our Embassy in Riyadh reports that there was an execution. It was for the murder of a Saudi national over money,” De Vega said.
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“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.
The family has requested that the identity of the executed Filipino not be revealed to the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
“Out of deference to their wishes and out of respect for 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,” De Vega commented further.
Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac further confirmed that the government would support the family. He also stressed that they had done everything they could in the case.
”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. Ýun nga, the family is requesting privacy, galangin na lang natin ‘yung privacy ng family,” Cacdac stated.
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Multiple sources have contacted the Philippine Embassy for more details about the execution case in Saudi Arabia. As of the writing of this article, no further statements have been made.
Saudi Arabia executions are still being carried out in recent years. According to Amnesty International, the kingdom has executed at least 198 people in 2024 alone. Traditional death penalty methods include beheading and firing squads.
Legal and judicial factors are the primary reasons that lead to the extensive use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia—these include an extensive range of capital offenses, including discriminatory practices.
Additionally, Saudi authorities continue to execute individuals for a wide range of crimes despite their repeated promises to minimize this approach.
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