MANILA(December 23) — Around 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are currently facing legal cases abroad, including 24 who remain on death row, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Monday, assuring the public that legal and welfare assistance is ongoing.
Speaking at a media briefing in Mandaluyong City, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is actively providing legal representation and case monitoring for OFWs facing charges overseas.
“We’re handling around 3,000 cases. My instruction to our migrant workers offices is to ensure that there is more than one lawyer handling cases when needed,” Cacdac said.
Where the cases are
Cacdac noted that Saudi Arabia has the highest number of Filipinos with pending cases, largely because it also hosts the biggest population of OFWs. The cases range from labor-related disputes to serious criminal charges across multiple regions.
Many of the death row cases were inherited from the DFA when the DMW was established in 2021 and assumed migrant welfare functions previously handled by the foreign affairs department.
DMW Assistant Secretary for Welfare Maria Regina Galias said most death row cases are drug-related, particularly in Malaysia, where drug offenses can carry capital punishment.
She added that other death row cases are spread across the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa.
Legal support and recent gains
To manage the caseload, the DMW currently works with 25 retained foreign law firms and 10 in-house lawyers, while maintaining close coordination with Philippine embassies and consulates.
Cacdac disclosed that two death row cases in Saudi Arabia were recently commuted, removing the affected Filipinos from capital punishment.
“Two of our compatriots were taken off death row. I can’t go into details for privacy reasons, but this is a significant development,” he said.
The DMW chief noted a steady decline in the number of Filipinos on death row—from as high as 40 to 70 in previous years, down to 49 last year, and now 24.
He attributed the reduction to sustained legal representation, stronger bilateral engagement, and legal reforms in host countries, particularly Malaysia, which opened additional pathways for sentence commutation.
Welfare checks and family support
Beyond legal defense, Cacdac said the DMW regularly conducts jail visits to monitor the welfare of detained OFWs and keeps their families informed of case developments and available assistance.
“We visit the families, we talk to them, and we assist them,” he said.
For the DMW, the message is one of vigilance and persistence: while thousands of OFWs remain entangled in legal battles abroad, the government says it is committed to ensuring that no Filipino faces the process alone—especially when life and liberty are at stake.
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