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MANILA, Philippines?President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the release of $25,000 (approximately P1.2 million) to save the life of Filipino worker Jakatia Pawa, who is on death row in Kuwait, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Friday.
The approval came several days after the Kuwait Court of Appeals upheld Pawa?s death sentence. The accused has 30 days to appeal the case.
With this presidential approval, the DFA said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers? Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. released the fund to be used to appeal Pawa?s case with Kuwait?s Court of Cassation.
DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo also immediately directed Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya to facilitate the filing of an appeal, which will be done in consultation with Pawa?s lawyers.
Pawa, a household service worker, was sentenced to death on April 13, 2008 for killing her employer?s 22-year-old daughter. She denied the charges against her and told the judge that one of the victim?s family members might have committed the crime.
Ambassador Endaya, in earlier interviews with the media, said it was unlikely that Pawa committed the crime because the knife used in the murder did not have Pawa?s fingerprints.
He also said neither Pawa?s dress nor her body had any blood stains when authorities found her lying outside the victim?s house.
