By Roy Mabasa
The case of the lone Filipino sentenced to death in Bahrain is currently on appeal with one hearing scheduled before Ramadan in May.
Credit: Thomas Hawk via Flickr / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO
According to Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ver, since the case of the Filipino death convict is still going through the normal legal process, other possible options to save his life, including President Rodrigo Duterte asking pardon, will not be pursued.
"It may be premature at this point because there is the legal process" said Ver. "The case is still being appealed maybe at that stage it will be resolved."
The Filipino death convict was formerly employed in a restaurant Manama, Bahrain and was sentenced to death in April the previous year after he was found guilty of killing a Pakistani national.
The victim is a civilian employee in the Bahrain Defense Force who was also a moneylender, said Ver. Investigation showed that the Pakistani took the Filipino's passport as collateral when the latter asked for loan.
The Filipino was looking for another job and he needed the passport so he can file for an employment application.
"Maybe circumstances forced him to take some desperate move so he can retrieve his passport," said Ambassador Ver.
He said when the Filipino was formally charged with the crime of killing the Pakistani, the Philippine embassy provided the consular assistance necessary.
"We are in contact with the family," said Ver. "We provided him a lawyer, an embassy retained lawyer. But he was found guilty."
Currently, the embassy lawyer has filed an appeal.