OFW in Taiwan fears death sentenceby Carmela Fonbuena, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 04/29/2009 10:15 PM
With no lawyer to represent her during a crucial hearing, overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Cecilia Armia Alcaraz fears that Taiwan's Appellate Court will uphold the earlier ruling that sentenced her to die by a firing squad.
The Appellate Court is due to hand down its decision on her appeal on Monday, May 4.
A domestic helper turned English teacher in Taiwan, Alcaraz, 48, was convicted in October 2008 for the murder and robbery of 48-year-old Taiwanese jobs broker Chiu Mei-yun.
She is currently detained in Kaoshiung Country in Taiwan.
Migrante International on Wednesday launched the “Save the Life of Cecilia Alcaraz Campaign” to pressure President Arroyo to intervene on behalf of Alcaraz before the Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou.
The group will also be picketing on Thursday the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Makati City.
The group is blaming the Philippine government's representatives in Taiwan for failing to help Alcaraz.
“Philippine officials' incompetence and neglect of duty may yet again cost the life of another overseas Filipino worker,” the group said in a statement.
While the MECO designated a lawyer to defend Alcaraz, Migrante said the lawyer was unable to attend the crucial hearing on April 1. MECO is headed by managing director and resident representative Antonio Basilio.
In a letter to her children, Alcaraz wrote: “Nagka-trial ako noon April 1st pero di dumating ang MECO, pati na ang lawyers ko, di rin sumipot. Sabi ng judge, may memo raw na sinasabing busy ang lawyer ko.” (I had a trial last April 1 but MECO and my lawyers didn't show up. According to the judge, they received a memo saying that my lawyer was busy.)
She was only provided an interpreter.
“If Alcaraz dies by firing squad in Taiwan, it would be because MECO officials were too busy to attend to our kababayan who was in dire need of their help,” said Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International.
Based on a Fact Sheet provided by Migrante, Alcaraz hails from Liliw town in Laguna. She has four children and worked as merchandiser for a department store before she left for Taiwan in 2001.
Alcaraz, along with a certain David Fillion (a US citizen), was arrested in September 2007 by Taiwanese officials for the murder.
Fillion was eventually released but Alcaraz was supposedly "made to admit, under duress, to have committed the murder alone."as of 04/29/2009 11:57 PM
December 23rd 2017, 4:01 pm by James307
Subject: OFW in Taiwan fears death sentence 
