Al Ain court delays Filipina housemaid’s death verdict

abu dhabi — A Filipino housemaid who was convicted for killing her male boss in Al Ain might only survive the death sentence if the victim’s children refuse to swear in court and opt for blood money, according to a court.

The 28-year-old woman was given the death sentence in May 2015 after the Al Ain Criminal Court of First Instance found her guilty of murder.

The Filipina, identified as Jennifer Dalquez, appealed against the sentence with the help of officials from the Philippines Embassy.

On Monday, the Appeal Court in Al Ain was to issue a verdict in the maid’s case, but the judge decided to postpone the ruling to a future date so the victim’s two children appear in court first and swear before he makes the final decision.

The judge will ask the deceased Emirati’s children to swear before the court 50 times, in the name of Allah, that Jennifer Dalquez is the only person they know who killed their father and not any other person, said a court official.

“And if this happens, court will uphold the decision of the First Instance Court which gives the Filipino the death penalty,” said the official. The Filipina will then be ordered to pay blood money of Dh200,000 to the victim’s family in addition to serving a jail sentence, which will be decided by court. Officials from the Philippine embassy in Abu Dhabi had provided Dalquez with a defence lawyer and have also promised to continue to provide her with all possible assistance.

The judge adjourned her trial until March 27. Official court documents stated that the woman attacked the Emirati man at his home in Al Ain on December 7, 2014. The woman, told she attacked the man in self-defence because he tried to rape her.