4 Pinoys beheaded in Saudi

Four Filipinos convicted of murdering a compatriot were beheaded by the sword yesterday in the western Saudi city of Taef, the Department of Foreign Affairs disclosed yesterday.

Miguel Fernandez, Sergio Aldana, Wilfredo Batista and Antonio Alviza were convicted of stabbing Jaimie de la Cruz to death and robbing him, the department said.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said the Philippine embassy did all it can to save the four from execution. Embassy officials are now working to have the bodies flown home.

The latest executions bring to 25 the number of beheadings announced by Saudi authorities so far this year. Thirty-five people were beheaded in the kingdom in 2004, according to an AFP tally based on official statements.

Executions are generally carried out in public in Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict form of Islamic law. The death penalty is meted out for murder, rape, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking. — Mayen Jaymalin, AFP