The Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said it will assist Bienvenido "Benjie" Espino Jr., the Filipino worker who was sentenced to death for stabbing to death a Filipina, up to the highest court in Kuwait.
"The embassy has given an instruction to Espino's lawyer to appeal his case," DFA spokesman Claro Cristobal told ABS-CBN's morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda."
Kuwait's Court of First Instance sentenced Espino to death for killing Jhias Gumapac, who was working as a barista in a coffee shop in Salmiya, Kuwait on Oct. 30, 2007.
Reports said Espino stabbed Gumapac 33 times over a laptop computer. The laptop was allegedly given by Espino to Gumapac as collateral for his debt.
Cristobal said Espino's case will be elevated by the Philippine embassy in Kuwait to the emirate's Court of Appeals.
Cristobal said if ever the appellate court will uphold the sentence, the case will be elevated to the Court of Cassation, Kuwait's high court.
The DFA spokesman admitted that the case is unusual because it involves two Filipinos. Despite this, he said the Philippine government is bound by law to assist Espino.
"Just like what we do in other cases, we will not let this go easily to save a Filipino's life... It's the government's responsibility to save the life of a Filipino," Cristobal said.
In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, Gumapac's father, Joel, said he has no plans to write a letter of forgiveness to save Espino from execution.
"The sentence, maximum penalty, should push through. As of now, I don't have plans to write a letter of forgiveness," Joel said.
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