THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is currently assisting approximately 3,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) facing legal battles in various countries, including 24 individuals on death row, according to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
During a media briefing in Mandaluyong City on Monday, December 22, Cacdac emphasized the Philippine government’s ongoing commitment, through the DMW and in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to provide comprehensive support to these OFWs.
“We’re handling around 3,000. And as to whether we have enough lawyers, I have instructed the migrant workers’ offices is to have more than one lawyer each,” he said.
Cacdac noted that Saudi Arabia has the highest concentration of OFWs facing legal issues, ranging from labor disputes to criminal charges in multiple regions.
DMW Assistant Secretary for Welfare Maria Regina Galias highlighted that the majority of death row cases are related to drug offenses, particularly in countries like Malaysia where such crimes carry capital punishment. These cases were largely transferred from the DFA when the DMW was established in 2021.
To manage the significant caseload, the DMW collaborates with 25 retained foreign law firms and 10 in-house lawyers, working in conjunction with the DFA, Philippine embassies, and consulates.
Cacdac reported that two death row cases in Saudi Arabia were successfully commuted, removing those individuals from death row. He also noted a significant decline in the number of Filipinos on death row, from 49 last year to 24 this year, a sharp decrease from previous years when cases ranged from 40 to 70.
Cacdac attributed this reduction to sustained legal representation, bilateral engagement, and reforms in host countries, particularly Malaysia, which has opened more legal avenues for commuting death sentences. The DMW provides regular updates to the OFWs’ families and ensures their welfare through jail visits and consistent communication. “We visit the families, we talk to the families, and we assist them,” Cacdac said.
