Kuwait ban stays
MANILA - Despite reports that the couple responsible for the murder of Filipina maid Joanna Demafelis have been sentenced to death in Kuwait, President Rodrigo Duterte's order to prohibit Filipino workers from seeking jobs in the Arab nation stays, Malacañang said Monday, April 2.
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the latest ruling against suspects in Demafelis's slay is not a sole condition to lift the total deployment ban of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait.
"The total ban on sending OFWs to Kuwait is still on," Guevarra told Palace reporters in a press briefing.
Guevarra's statement came despite earlier reports that Duterte would only lift the total deployment ban if justice is served for the death of Demafelis and if a bilateral deal to protect OFWs in the Arab country is signed.
On February 9, Demafelis's tortured body was found stored in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait's Al Shaab district.
The discovery of Demafelis's body led to the arrest of her employers, Lebanese national Nader Essam Assaf and his wife, syrian national Mona Hassoun.
Assaf is currently under Lebanese custody, while Hassoun is detained in Damascus.
A Kuwaiti court has reportedly ruled to sentence Demafelis's employers to death by hanging over the Filipina maid's murder.
Guevarra said Duterte's office welcomes the decision of the Kuwaiti Criminal Court, noting that the whole nation would be "happy" about the decision
against the prime suspects in the killing of Demafelis.
He was also optimistic that Kuwait would seek mutual legal assistance with Lebanon and Syria to serve the death sentence against Assaf and Hassoun.
"The directive that was given by the President was for the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), through the Mission in Kuwait, to find out, to verify whether in fact such an event took place. I'm referring to the sentencing of this couple, who I understand are at large, still at large. They are not in Kuwait," he said.
"The President and I suppose, the entire Filipino people will be happy to know that -- that it is true. Of course, that's what we want -- justice for Demafelis. So let's hope that in fact, that is true and that the couple will actually be apprehended and brought to the bars of justice," he added.
Guevarra, however, said the lifting of Duterte's directive would depend on how the Philippines and Kuwait would come up with an agreement to ensure the OFWs' protection in the Gulf country.