Mother asks Noy, Binay to help son on death row in Malaysia

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The family of a Filipino overseas worker, convicted and sentenced to death by a Malaysian court in Kota Kinabalu for drug trafficking, appealed to President Benigno Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay to help them spare the life of the accused.

It has been sleepless nights for Teresita, 76, widow, a resident of Don Toribio, Barangay Tetuan, this city, upon learning just recently that her son has been placed on death row in Malaysia.

Quijano said she learned the fate of her son, Jerry Quijano, from her neighbor. The accused was working as a driver-carpenter in Sabah.

It was learned that Jerry, 44, has been languishing in the Penjara Kapayan Jail in Kota Kinabalu after he was apprehended for for possession of 759.52 grams of shabu at the arrival hall terminal of the Kota Kinabalo International Airport last Apr. 3, 2008. The decision was handed on Sept. 3, 2010.

Mrs. Quijano, who had to sell her house to finance her travel to Sabah, said her son told her that he was asked to deliver a package from Cebu to Kota Kinabalu. She said that her son did not know the contents of the package until he was apprehended at the Malaysian airport.

“I'm appleang for the government's help because we lack the funds to go to there (Kota Kinabalu) and to fight the case and save my son’s life,” Mrs. Quijano said.

Mrs. Quijano said her son through a public lawyer in Sabah has appealed the sentence, but the Kota Kinabalo Federal Court, through a unanimous decision by the judges, dismissed it last Mar. 30, 2012.

She said they have approached the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) consular office in the city for assistance, but they could not be given specific details on the actual date of execution of her son.

“It was not stated when will be the execution of the sentence but we are not waiting for that to happen and we appeal to our President and Vice President to help us,” Mrs. Quijano said citing her son’s innocence.