Press Release
January 28, 2010

Brothers of OFW in death row visit, seek Villar's help

The brothers of sentenced overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jakatia Pawa appealed to the government to save their sister from imminent execution in Kuwait.

Maj. Angaris Pawa, 46, of the Philippine Air Force and retired SPO4 Wares Pawa, 58, visited the Sagip-OFW Helpline office of Sen. Manny Villar in Mandaluyong City (today) to seek assistance.

The Kuwaiti Supreme Court recently affirmed the death verdict on the 34-year-old Zamboanga del Norte native who is currently detained at the Kuwait Central Jail.

Villar, whose helpline earlier endorsed Pawa's case to the Department of Foreign Affairs, renewed his call to the government to exhaust all means to save the migrant worker from the death row.

Major Pawa called Villar's helpline on Jan 21 expressing his intention to visit Villar's helpline office.

"We received the call of Major Pawa at past 11 p.m. last Jan. 21 expressing the Pawa family's anxieties. He was our 48th caller that day," said Lerma Pineda, head of Villar's helpline office.

In following up the case, Pineda, on behalf of Villar, held a meeting with the staff of Vice-President Noli de Castro on Jan. 27 to discuss and push Pawa's case.

At the same time, Major Pawa expressed his apologies for the statements reportedly issued against the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer which were far from the truth. "I am the official representative of the Pawa family in matters pertaining to Jakatia's case," Major Pawa said.

The DFA said on Jan. 26 that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is sending De Castro who will carry her letter addressed to the Emir of Kuwait asking for clemency.

Pawa was sentenced to death for killing her employer's 22-year-old daughter. She has strongly maintained her innocence.

Major Pawa said the blood stain found on the weapon did not match that of his sister, emphasizing it was impossible for Jakatia's frail frame to inflict "28 stab wounds" on the victim. Jakatia earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in banking and finance from the Zamboanga Alturo Eustaquio Colleges in Zamboanga City.

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