Family seek clemency for Filipina maid on death row in UAE

Mrs. Alicia Aresgado and Mr. Abdulhamid Dalquiz - Supplied photo

The parents of a Filipino housemaid, who is on death row for allegedly killing her male boss, are pinning their hope on the UAE's judicial system.
"We have full trust in the UAE judicial system, and we are confident justice will be done in Jennifer's trial," Alicia, 50, mother of the convict, Jennifer Dalquez, told Khaleej Times after a hearing at the Appeal Court in Al Ain on Monday.
Alicia and her husband Abdul Hamid, 53, have travelled from Philippines to Abu Dhabi for the first time with hopes of saving their daughter from the death row. The couple has seven children and Dalquez is the third.
The parents said they are optimistic their daughter has chances of surviving the death penalty.
"We believe she has chances of surviving the death penalty, and at least be given a lighter sentence instead. Jennifer's lawyer has told us that there are chances of she escaping the death penalty because our daughter did this in-self defence," said Alicia.
The parents said they have known Dalquez as a loving and caring daughter and that they were shocked when they learned that she had been detained for killing her employer.
"She has always been a kind, caring and loving daughter and was concerned about her children's future," said Dalquez's father Abdul Hamid.
"She has never been a violent person since her childhood, and we were shocked to hear she attacked her boss. I believe she must have done this in-self-defence."
The father added: "I cannot describe how it feels to see your own daughter as a death convict. All we hope for is to save her life."
Dalquez's parents had arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday following assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila and the Philippines Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Jiemarie Mortel from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila who accompanied Dalquez's parents said: "We have provided Jennifer and her family with the necessary support because we were concerned about her case. We will continue to provide her with all possible assistance until the end of her trial."
Official court documents stated that Dalquez attacked the Emirati man at his home in Al Ain on December 7, 2014.
On Monday, the Appeal Court judge adjourned her trial until April 12 because one of the victim's sons failed to appear before the court.
The judge also reiterated the previous order for the two sons to appear before the court and to swear and that failure to do this, the court will ask Dalquez to swear in the name of Allah, 50 times, that she did not intentionally kill the victim before the final ruling is issued.
At the previous hearing on February 27, the judge had ordered the two sons to appear in court and swear in the name of Allah, 25 times each, that Dalquez is the person who killed their father.

Jennifer says she killed boss in self-defence

Jennifer Dalquez, 30, who is the mother of two boys aged six and eight, was sentenced to death in May 2015 after the Al Ain Criminal Court of First Instance found her guilty of murdering her Emirati employer.
Official court documents stated that Dalquez attacked the Emirati man at his home in Al Ain on December 7, 2014. She, however, denied intentionally killing her boss.
She had told the court that she attacked the man in self-defence because he tried to rape her and that she never meant to hurt or kill him. The Filipina appealed against the sentence with the help of officials from the Philippines Embassy.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

Ismail Sebugwaawo

ismail@khaleejtimes.com