PR-085-2015
21 June 2015

3 Filipinos in Saudi Arabia charged with Murder Freed in the Past Month

In a span of 33 days, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh was able to repatriate to the Philippine three Filipinos who were jailed for murder cases.

The first male Filipino was sentenced to 5 years and ordered to pay a diyyah or blood-money compensation of PhP 300,000.00 to the victim’s heirs upon the latter’s demand, for killing another Filipino in Al Khafji in March 2011. The Saudi King granted him royal clemency before the completion of his sentence and upon payment of diyyah by the accused to the family of the victim in the Philippines. He was released and repatriated to the Philippines on 14 May 2015.

The second case is a female Filipina was sentenced to 4 years and 200 lashes for killing her child upon delivery in a bathroom at her employer’s residence in Buraydah on 14 July 2011. She was assisted in court by the Embassy-hired lawyer and received royal clemency prior to the completion of her sentence and implementation of lashes. The Embassy repatriated her to the Philippines on 11 June 2015.

The third case is a male Filipino charged with murder of a Saudi policeman in Hail Province 30 June 2012. In the court hearings, he maintained that he merely defended himself and his co-accused from the victim’s hand, who assaulted them during the incident. The court acquitted him from the charge against him. He was assisted by the Embassy representatives who attended the court hearings.   He was released and repatriated to the Philippines on 17 June 2015. End