A Kuwaiti court has convicted the primary suspect in the killing of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Dafnie Nacalaban, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Wednesday.
According to DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, the Kuwaiti national accused of murdering Nacalaban was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while three accomplices received one-year jail terms each.
Nacalaban, a 35-year-old household worker, went missing in October 2024. Her remains were found two months later, buried in the garden of her employer’s home in Saad Al-Abdullah, Jahra, Kuwait.
“The processes may still not be over in terms of the possibility of appeal, but we are already thankful to the Kuwaiti authorities for the judgment that delivers justice to Dafnie and her family,” Cacdac said.
He added that the DMW has been in close contact with the Nacalaban family to provide ongoing legal and welfare assistance.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said that Philippine-Kuwaiti relations have improved, Cacdac acknowledged that cases of abuse and deaths of OFWs remain a serious concern that has, in the past, led to deployment bans.
In 2023, the brutal murder of OFW Jullebee Ranara sparked national outrage after her body was found burned in the desert. Her employer’s 17-year-old son was sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder and one year for driving without a license.
Earlier this year, another Filipina, Jenny Alvarado, died from coal suffocation when the heating system in her workplace malfunctioned.
As of January 2025, the DMW reported that there are over 18,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait, making it the sixth top destination for land-based OFWs.
