Rody may appeal case of Pinay on death row

MANILA, Philippines -  President Duterte is expected to appeal the case of convicted Filipina household service worker Jennifer Dalquez during his visit to the Middle East next week.

Dalquez was sentenced to death by the United Arab Emirates court in 2015 for killing her employer.

 “There is no black and white that the President is going to take up Dalquez’s case. But knowing his concern, we have prepared the legal papers in case he makes an appeal,” Raul Dado, executive director of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs, said on Thursday.

Dado noted that the Philippine government has deployed a legal team to UAE to appeal the case of Dalquez.

He said the UAE Court of Appeals has rescheduled the hearing on Dalquez’s case to April 12 after one of the sons of the victim failed to appear during the trial.

“The judge is taking time to consider all the evidence, which is positive sign,” Dado said.

A group of overseas Filipino workers has called on the President to exert all efforts to save Dalquez from execution.

Dalquez said she was forced to kill her Arab employer after he tried to rape her in 2014.