The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has reported that at least 44 Filipinos are currently on death row overseas, primarily in Malaysia, as disclosed during a Senate plenary session on the 2025 national budget.
Senator Joel Villanueva, budget sponsor for the DMW, stated that 41 Filipinos are on death row in Malaysia, while two are in Brunei and one is in Saudi Arabia. Most cases involve drug-related offenses and murder charges.
In Saudi Arabia, a Filipina is appealing her death sentence after allegedly killing her employer in what she claims was an act of self-defense, citing verbal and physical abuse. DMW’s legal team has submitted a petition for reconsideration, and negotiations are ongoing with the victim’s family to accept blood money. She has been detained for about seven years.
For those sentenced in Malaysia, many are reportedly drug mules or were found in possession of illegal substances. The DMW’s Migrant Workers Office in Malaysia provides financial assistance and regular monitoring for these individuals.
In Brunei, where two Filipinos face death sentences for murder, a de facto moratorium on executions has delayed their punishment. The DMW continues to visit them and assist their families.