Senators grilled Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official on Tuesday regarding the absence of any acquittals of Filipinos living abroad in criminal cases from January to June of last year.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva released the DFA report during the Senate committee on migrant workers meeting, which showed that 1,278 people were convicted in the first half of 2022 while there were no acquittals.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega said that most of the time, cases are settled and not pushed through
“Usually, a maximum [of] maybe less than a dozen a year, maybe. Kasi ang nangyayari diyan, most of time, ang nangyayari, nase-settle, hindi na dumederetso pa sa kaso,” he explained.
Villanueva said that the situation is “unacceptable.”
“This is not acceptable. These are facts. These are figures that we have on our hand. We wanted to find out ilan ‘yung na-acquit (how many were acquitted)? Kung walang na-a-acquit (If none), what the hell are we doing here? We don’t even evaluate the things that we do,” the senator pointed out.
Senator Raffy Tulfo, panel chairperson, likewise lamented the zero acquittals.
“[Baka] mahina ‘yung mga abogadong nakuha ng ating DFA na para idepensa ‘yung ating mga Filipino nationals na may problema sa abroad,” Tulfo said.
De Vega argued that at least overseas Filipinos are getting legal representation than none.
Tulfo then responded: “Don’t say that kaysa wala. So, dapat po talagang kailangan na kailangan na magkaroon ng legal assistance ang sinumang Pilipino kasi kasama ‘yan sa mandato ninyo na dapat ‘pag may Pilipino in distress. Kailangan tulungan at gastusan kaya nga tayo may legal assistance fund.”
Tulfo’s committee is deliberating measures that seek to provide and expand the free legal services to OFWs.
