A Kuwaiti court on Thursday convicted the teen killer of overseas
Filipino worker (OFW) Jullebee Ranara for murder and driving without a
license.
In a statement late Thursday night, the Department of Foreign Affairs
said the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait reported that Ranara’s killer
has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for murder and one year
for driving without license.
“The lesser penalties were due to the accused’s being a minor. He has
30 days to appeal the judgment to the Court of First Instance,” the
DFA said.
“The family of the OFW has been informed and is grateful for the
assistance provided them by the government.”
Ranara is a 35-year-old household worker whose burnt body was found in
a desert in Kuwait in January.
Her killer was the 17-year-old son of her employer who was arrested
within 24 hours of the discovery of her burnt body and has confessed
to the crime.
“The Philippine government acknowledges the efforts undertaken by the
Kuwaiti authorities to effect a speedy resolution of the case, in the
pursuit of justice for our slain kababayan (compatriot),” the DFA
said.
In a televised public briefing Friday, Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the agency has relayed to
Ranara’s kin the Kuwaiti court’s sentence for the teen killer.
He said Ranara’s sister was happy that the killer was brought to
justice but the mother was initially expecting a life imprisonment
sentence.
“Pero nung napaliwanag na hindi naman na abswelto at saka may
hustisya, kunwari, tayo mismo sa ating batas ay exempted ‘yung mga
menor de edad sa criminal liability as a general rule, so
naiintindihan po nila at saka ngayon hinihintay nila kung ano man
‘yung moral damages (When it was explained that the killer wasn’t
acquitted and there was justice, for example, in our laws, minors are
exempted from criminal liability as a general rule, so they understood
and now awaiting for moral damages),” he added.
Apart from monitoring the case, the DFA had been paying for Ranara’s
lawyer from January to July.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has assumed financial
responsibility for the lawyers from then on and assured free education
for Ranara’s children.
Ranara’s family has not received any compensation from her previous employer.
De Vega said all the benefits they have received are from President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DMW, the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration and other government officials.
He said blood money is not applicable since the verdict on the killer
is not the death penalty.
Nonetheless, there will be moral or compensatory damages and the
amount to be paid by the accused will be indicated in the court’s
decision and final report.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the House of Representatives’ Committee
on Overseas Workers Affairs welcomed the development, and lauded the
Kuwaiti government for their “swift delivery of justice” for Ranara.
“This is a significant milestone for justice and accountability. I
commend the Kuwaiti courts for their commitment in upholding the rule
of law and ensuring that justice prevails. This verdict sends a clear
message that crimes against our Filipino migrant workers will not go
unpunished,” Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo said in a press
statement.
The lawmaker however emphasized that while this verdict is a positive
step, we must remain steadfast in our efforts to create safer and more
secure working conditions for OFWs abroad.