Malaysia Spares Filipina Drug Convict From Execution

The Philippines has confirmed that the death sentence of a national convicted of drug smuggling in Malaysia has been commuted to life in prison.



The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur expressed in a statement Tuesday its "heartfelt appreciation to the Sultan of Selangor [state] and the Selangor Pardons Board for this sterling manifestation of benevolence and compassion" in sparing Jacqueline Quiamno.



The sentence was reduced by the western state's pardons board on June 15 following an appeal for clemency by the Philippine Embassy and Quiamno's family.



Quiamno was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in June 2005 for smuggling five kilograms (11 pounds) of cocaine in her luggage that she claimed to have been carrying for an African drug syndicate based in Hong Kong.



In Nov. 2010, a high court in Selangor had found her guilty – a verdict affirmed by the Federal Court in July 2013.



The Embassy said Tuesday that the pardons board's decision "should be a relief for Filipinos meted capital punishment in Malaysia." It referred particularly to three natives of southern Zamboanga City -- Gerry Saavedra Quijano and couple Timhar and Nurie Ong – whose families have been calling for clemency.



In February, eight Filipino prisoners -- including seven men and one woman – who were arrested in Malaysia as minors were granted pardons by eastern Sabah state's governor, Juhar Mahiruddin, after serving terms between 21 and 26 years.



"Their release brought much joy to the Filipinos and their families who waited for their homecoming for over 20 years," Tuesday's statement said.



In recent years, Malaysia has been reluctant to carry out the death penalty -- despite it remaining in statute books and being imposed by courts for serious offenses -- as the government considers a proposal to abolish the practice, it added.



The last execution of a Filipino in Malaysia took place in June 1993, when a national convicted of murder was put to death.



Earlier this year, a Filipina drug convict on Indonesian death row was granted a last minute reprieve after a woman who allegedly recruited her to act as courier turned herself in to Philippine police.



The Philippine government said it had persuaded Indonesia to spare Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso from executions in April on the grounds that it had new information and would nail the syndicate that had allegedly used her as a mule. - Zamboanga