KUWAIT: ANOTHER PINOY GETS DEATH SENTENCE IN KUWAIT

Kuwait's Court of First Instance handed the death sentence to Filipino national Bienvenido Espino Jr for killing Jhias Gumapac, a fellow Filipino contract worker. Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya said the court found Espino stabbed Gumapac to death on October 30, 2007, near a bakery in Salmiya. Gumapac, 30, was stabbed 33 times over a laptop given to her as collateral for money borrowed by Espino. Endaya vowed to look into all the legal remedies to save Espino, the third OFW on the death row for murder. The other two are Mae Vecina and Jakatia Pawa. According to defence lawyer Khaleel Al-Qattan, a "tanazul" or letter of forgiveness from the victim's family can help spare Espino's life. Some sources, however, insinuated the real reason for the murder was that Gumapac rejected Espino and refused to have a relationship with him because he is married.