Malacañang condoles with family of OFW executed in Saudi Arabia

Panelo described the execution as “unfortunate” since government did all that it could to save the Filipino worker from death row. (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday offered sympathies to the family of the 39-year-old Filipino household service worker who was executed for murder in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

“I would like to express our condolences to the bereaved family of the OFW who has been executed,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Panelo described the execution as “unfortunate” since government did all that it could to save the Filipino worker from death row.

“Our government extended help to this Filipino. We provided a lawyer for her and we gave regular updates to the family,” he said.

“It’s just unfortunate that this particular case, the Sharia law, does not apply where blood money…can be a reason to stop the execution. But we tried. The DFA tried very hard to help,” he added.

The Saudi Supreme Judicial Council classified her case “as one in which blood money does not apply under Sharia law”, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA did not provide additional information on the Filipino’s identity and the murder case she was involved in, citing the request for privacy of her next of kin.

Meanwhile, Panelo also expressed his condolences over the separate killings of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randy Felix Malayao and Barangay Bagong Silangan village chief Crisell “Beng” Beltran.

Reports quoted witnesses as saying that Malayao was on board a Victory Liner bus in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya when a gunman boarded, approached the sleeping victim, shot him at close range, and fled on board a motorcycle.

Beltran, who is seeking a seat in Congress, was aboard a white Ford Everest when four unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants attacked her and driver Melchor Salita.

“We condole with the bereaved families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Randy Felix Malayao and barangay chairwoman Crisell ‘Beng’ Beltran. The deaths of the aforesaid persons are deplorable,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Politics or differences in ideology or religion can never be a reason or a motivating factor to kill or to injure any person. Acts of violence has no place in a democratic society,” he added.

Panelo called on the authorities to conduct a speedy and impartial investigation to run after the perpetrators of both crimes.