Filipina in Indonesia not up for execution

MANILA, Philippines–The Filipino woman on death row in Indonesia was not among those set for execution as her case was still up for judicial review, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

The DFA made the clarification after wire reports said that the unidentified Filipina was among eight convicted drug smugglers who would be transferred to a prison island this week for imminent execution.

The convicted drug smugglers were to be transferred to the Nusa Kambangan prison where they would face a firing squad, the death penalty as set by Indonesia.

DFA spokesman and Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta confirmed that “the Filipino had not been taken away and was still in her prison cell at the Yogyakarta penitentiary.”

“Meanwhile, we are still awaiting the schedule of a hearing of the judicial review we requested,” Jose said in a text message.

The report on the imminent execution of the foreigners convicted for drug smuggling in Indonesia came as the DFA said it was taking note of the appeal made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for Indonesia not to push through with the executions.

The Filipina, who came in as a tourist, was arrested at the Jakarta airport in 2010 for possession of heroin. An Indonesian court convicted her of the crime and sentenced her to death. Her death sentence was recently upheld by the Indonesian high court and the Philippine government has asked for a judicial review of her case.

“In line with our commitment as a signatory to the second optional protocol of the international covenant on civil and political rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty and in line with our mandate to safeguard the rights of our citizens overseas, the Philippines continues to exhaust all remedies available under Indonesian law to save the life of the Filipino national,” the DFA said in a statement.–Christine O. Avendaño