Malacañang on Monday said deployment ban of first-time overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait stays despite the conviction of the suspects in Joanna Demafelis’ murder.
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the decision to lift the ban still lies on whether Kuwait can assure safety of OFWs in the Gulf state through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
“I think it’s still the agreement between the two countries on the matter of our treating our OFWs that will matter, not the matter of the couple being brought to justice,” said Guevarra.
Guevarra said the nation only hopes for justice to be served and that President Rodrigo Duterte is already aware of the development in the case.
“That really belongs to the realm of Kuwaiti law. So if they have probably some extradition treaty with any country kung saan makikita ‘yung mga mahahanap then probably they will avail themselves of such mutual legal assistance agreements or extradition treaties if possible,” Guevarra said.
Yesterday, the Kuwaiti government sentenced death by hanging to employers and main suspects in the death of Demafelis – Nader Essam Assaf, a Lebanese national, and his wife Mona Hassoun, a Syrian national.
The court released the decision during the first hearing of the case under a Kuwaiti court.
The couple can still appeal for their case if they will return to Kuwait.
