Nananawagan ng tulong si Kabayan Representative Ron Salo sa Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) para sa mga Pilipino na nasa death row matapos buwagin ng gobyerno sa Malaysia ang mandatory death penalty sa ibang pagkakasala.

“I urge the DFA and the DMW to immediately provide all the needed legal assistance for overseas Filipinos on death row in Malaysia for a review of their sentences,” aniya sa isang pahayag.

Binanggit din ni Salo na isa itong progresibo at makataong aksyon na benepisyo sa mga Pilipinong nasa ilalim ng death row sa Malaysia.

“This is certainly a welcome development, especially for our kababayans on death row in Malaysia who may have a justifiably legal cause to receive a much lesser penalty,” aniya, na chairperson din ng Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs sa House of Representatives.

“It gives us so much hope that many of their cases will be reconsidered and will be given lighter punishments. This will give our countrymen the chance to reform and lead better lives,” dagdag ng mambabatas.

Iniulat ng DFA sa isang Congressional hearing na mayroong 83 na Pilipinong nasa death row na may iba’t ibang kaso, at 56 ng mga kaso nito ay nasa Malaysia.

“Most of these cases are already final and executory. Without this development, our only recourse was to seek a presidential pardon from the Malaysian government,” pahayag ni Salo.

Ayon sa bagong panukala sa Malaysia, maaaring suriin muli ang sintensya ng mga nahatulan ng death penalty o life imprisonment.

Ang bagong panukala ay kasabay ng isang buwang selebrasyon ng Ramadan.

Photo credit: House of Representatives Official Website