DMW: 25 OFWs on death row

MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers on death row in different countries decreased to 25 following reforms in Malaysia, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said death penalty cases involving OFWs worldwide have gone down from around 50 to 60 earlier this year.

The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur had sought leniency for Filipinos amid Malaysia’s new sentencing rules, he noted.

“We’re working very hard. This is the behind-the-scenes work not seen by the public, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Office of the President. (Marcos) is very concerned with death row cases,” Cacdac told the Senate during a budget hearing yesterday.

Efforts continue to “hold the executions at bay” and secure commutations or acquittals, he added.

The Malaysian government repealed its mandatory death penalty in 2023, triggering a significant decline in its imposition, according to Amnesty International.

Cacdac said the DMW is handling 1,106 active and pending cases involving OFWs, most of which are in the Middle East.

Around 116 Filipino workers have been convicted of various crimes overseas.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian expressed support for increasing legal aid funding for OFWs, noting that the ratio of lawyers to OFWs stood at roughly one to 90,000.

Despite the DMW’s request of P2.4 billion for its legal assistance and action fund, Cacdac said only P1.2 billion was allotted.

The DMW is hoping to increase the number of retained law firms by 50 percent and in-house lawyers by 100 percent next year.