Pinoy serving life sentence in Kuwait pardoned

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino serving a life sentence for killing his Filipina partner in 2007 recently returned to the Philippines following his pardon from the head of the Kuwaiti government.

Bienvenido Espino was among those pardoned by the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, during the recently concluded Eid season, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

He was repatriated back to the Philippines last Aug. 30 after being detained for almost 13 years at the Sulaibiya Central Jail.

Espino was initially sentenced to death by hanging by the Kuwaiti Court of First Instance, which found him guilty of killing his Filipina partner in 2007.

The decision was affirmed by the Kuwaiti Court of Appeals and Kuwait Court of Cassation in 2009. But in 2013, this was commuted to life imprisonment after Espino received a tanazul or letter of forgiveness from the family of his late Filipina partner after settling the blood money for the crime.

Mohd. Noordin Pendosina Lomondot, chargé d’affaires at the Philippine embassy in Kuwait, expressed gratitude in behalf of President Duterte to the Amir of Kuwait for granting pardon to the Filipino.

He noted that past Philippine presidents, including Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, personally appealed to the Amir to grant clemency to Espino.

“Even after his death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 2013, the Philippine government remained persistent in appealing for the Amir’s pardon, through our letters to the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Lomondot.

“I hope that Espino will carry with him the experiences and lessons of the past as he starts a new life in the Philippines. I wish him well in his future endeavors,” he added.