Arroyo: Gov’t working to save life of Vecina

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave her assurance on Thursday that the government was talking to the Kuwaiti government to save the life of a Filipina worker who was sentenced to death after she was convicted of killing her ward.

The Kuwaiti Supreme Court upheld the death penalty this week against May Vecina, 28, who would be hanged for murdering her employer’s youngest son Salem Sulaiman Al-Otaib on January 6 last year, as well as attempting to kill his 13-year-old brother Abdulla by slitting his throat and stabbing his 17-year-old sister Hajer.

The court ruling is final and only needs to be signed by Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to be implemented.

Last November, Arroyo went to Kuwait to personally seek clemency from Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah that he might spare the life of another domestic, Marilou Ranario, who was also sentenced to death for murdering her employer.

But Arroyo told reporters in a chance interview in Malacañang this Thursday that she was leaving it up to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through undersecretary Esteban Conejos, to speak about the case concerning Vecina so as not to "jeopardize" ongoing negotiations.

In a separate interview, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales said the President might instruct Vice President Noli de Castro to go to Kuwait to personally appeal to the Emir.

He also said that blood money should be raised to pay the family of the victim. - Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, Reporter INQUIRER.net, April 03, 2008