Refer to: Ms. Dale Zapata 83321148

VP NOLI REITERATES APPEAL TO KUWAIT FOR CONVICTED OFW: SPARE LIFE OF OFW FACING EXECUTION

01 May 2006

Vice President Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro reiterated the Philippine government’s plea to Kuwait to spare the life of overseas Filipino worker Marilou Ranario from execution.

VP NOLI WITH KUWAIT’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. Vice President Noli "Kabayan" De Castro relays to the members of the National Assembly of the State of Kuwait headed by Hon. Abdul Wahed AL-AWADI (third from left) the Philippine diplomatic request for clemency for OFW Marilou Ranario, who was sentenced to death by hanging for the killing of her Kuwaiti employer. The members of Kuwaiti Parliament paid the Vice President a courtesy visit last month and also discussed the strengthening of the Philippine-Kuwait relations. Also present from left are: Yosuf AL-TANEEB, Charge d' Affaires, Embassy of Kuwait; Hon. Ahmed Abdulmuhsen AL-MOLAYFI, (MP); AL-AWADI ; VP ; Antonio de Guzman, Jr. Deputy Director General, Senate Int"l. Relation, and Maya Barsan , Senate Int"l. Relation Service. (OVP photo by Egay Montana) 5/1/06

De Castro, who is also the presidential adviser for OFWs, recently made the diplomatic request during a courtesy visit of the National Assembly of the State of Kuwait headed by Hon. Abdul Wahed AL-AWADI.

De Castro took the opportunity to remind the Kuwaiti government, through its visiting Parliament members, of its commitment to work for the non-imposition of the death penalty and if possible to grant clemency to OFW Marilou Ranario.

Earlier, the Vice President personally met with the Emir in Kuwait to intercede for Ranario, a 33 year-old teacher who went to work as a domestic helper in Kuwait and who was sentenced to death by hanging last September 28, 2005 for the killing of her Kuwaiti employer. The Ranario case is still pending before the Kuwaiti appellate court.

The present administration is against the death penalty with the recent declaration of President Arroyo of the commutation of sentences to 1200 death row inmates.

VP NOLI REITERATES APPEAL TO KUWAIT. Vice President Noli "Kabayan" De Castro welcomes Hon. Abdul Wahed AL-AWADI, head of the National Assembly of the State of Kuwait. During the courtesy visit of the members of the Kuwaiti Parliament, De Castro reiterated the Philippine government’s plea to Kuwait to spare the life of overseas Filipino worker Marilou Ranario from execution whose case is now pending before the Kuwaiti appellate court. (OVP photo by Egay Montana) 5/1/06

“I think it is worth making a plea again with the Kuwaiti government, as we are hopeful that they will make a favorable decision on Ranario’s case considering the discovery of additional pieces of evidence favorable to her defense,” De Castro said.

Last March, De Castro flew to Kuwait, together with a high level delegation composed of Ambassador Amable Aguiluz, Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos and OWWA Deputy Administrator Angelo Jimenez, and met with the newly-installed Emir of Kuwait to appeal the case of Ranario.

For his part, the new Emir Sheik Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah briefly explained to Vice President De Castro the Kuwaiti justice system and gave his much welcomed assurance.

“I just hope the Kuwaiti government will hear our just and humane appeal,” De Castro said.