The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait has maintained that it will not negotiate with any attempt for blood money in the case of slain Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende.
Villavende was murdered in 2019 by her employers in Kuwait, prompting the Philippine government to impose a deployment ban.
The female employer of Villavende has been sentenced to death by hanging in Kuwait.
“Ang posisyon ng embassy tungkol kay Villavende is unang-una, we pursue death sentence against the employer. Now, maganda ang resulta. Ang desisyon ng Kuwait Criminal Court is death sentence,” Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Mohd. Noordin Pendosina Lomondot, told ABS-CBN News.
“Ito nga yung inasam-asam natin na death for death, life for life, and blood for blood. So, ang embassy natin, wala ng ibang posisyon kundi talagang ma-execute itong pumatay kay Villavende para din mabigyan ng justice si Villavende,” Lomondot said.
The Philippine Embassy lead counsel, Atty. Sheikha Fawzia Al-Sabah, a Kuwaiti human rights lawyer, said the court’s ruling is fair and in compliance with the law and Sharia.
Both Lomondot and Fawzia rejected requests to negotiate for the family or blood money.
“As to blood money, the embassy or Attorney Fawzia does not have any authority or does not involve ourselves, with this kind of negotiation of blood money. Basta ang posisyon lang natin is execution for the culprit,” Lomondot said.
The Ambassador however noted that it is up to the family of Villavende if they will accept the blood money offer in exchange for downgrading the sentence.
“So, nasa accused na ‘yon kung makikipag-negotiate siya sa NOK (next of kin). At kung pumayag ang NOK, pwedeng ma-commute ang sentence. Yung pamilya ng namatayan, pwede ma-negotiate ang sentence dahil entitled sila riyan. Sinabihan, very clear ang Qur’an dyan, at saka sa Shariah yan, na they could negotiate for blood money. But it is the position of the embassy and our lawyer not to negotiate for any blood money,” Lomondot explained.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddyboy Locsin Jr. has called the attention of Lomondot over an attempt to pay blood money worth Php7.5 million.
“The P7.5 million blood money to pay off this horror is changing hands even as I tweet; ordered Kuwait PE Lomondot to stop it; on our part we must match the P7.5 million offer to her surviving kin—NOW! Lomondot must make sure the court judgment of death is carried out;” Locsin tweeted.
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