The Philippines is considering ban on the deployment of household workers to Dubai where a Filipino is facing death row.
The country’s Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has said his decision to consider a deployment ban on house helps to Dubai was in the light of the death sentence meted to Filipina Jennifer Darquez for killing her employer in December 2014, reported Malaya.
“If that (execution) happens, DOLE may be compelled to take a very drastic move and that is possibly to ban employment of our OFWs in areas where execution has been consummated,” he reportedly said.
“That (deployment ban) is under serious consideration. Maybe it would be better if we just don’t send OFWs there since they are always getting killed or executed,” he added.
Ironically, the Philippines is seeking to re-impose the death penalty on a long list of heinous crimes, the report said.
Last week, the family of Darquez sought government’s help in having her removed from death row after she was found guilty last May 2015 and was slapped with capital punishment, said the news portal.
There are currently an estimated 700,000 OFWs deployed in the UAE, it added.
Earlier, Bello had said he is looking at the possibility of imposing a temporary suspension on the deployment house helps to Kuwait following the execution of Jakatia Pawa, as well as the inclusion of Elpidio Lano in the Kuwaiti death row.
Bello reportedly said he continues to consult with stakeholders, including the local recruitment industry, with regards to the imposition of the ban.
He also sought the help of the recruitment industry to find ways to avoid the execution of OFWs in their host countries, reported Malaya.
“We are asking them to talk to their counterparts (foreign recruitment agencies) for them to talk with their officials abroad if it is possible not to kill OFWs and, instead, just jail them if really found guilty,” he was quoted as saying. “I appealed to them that they should do everything within their means to prevent the execution of our countrymen.”
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), there are around 88 OFWs on death row abroad.
