THE PHILIPPINES. VICE PRESIDENT TO VISIT KUWAIT TO PLEAD FOR LIFE OF CONDEMNED MAID

the Philippine Vice President Noli de Castro was to fly to Kuwait to plead for the life of a Filipina maid who was set to hang for killing her boss there, the foreign department said. Marilou Ranario, a 33 year-old teacher who went to work as a domestic in Kuwait, was sentenced to die by hanging on September 28, 2005, for the stabbing death of her employer. The woman had alleged her boss insulted her and her fellow Filipinos.
De Castro and other Filipino officials were waiting for their Kuwaiti visas and would "leave as soon as possible. They already have (plane) tickets," foreign department spokesman Gilberto Asuque told reporters. Asuque said Philippine embassy officials in Kuwait City were separately negotiating with the relatives of the victim to accept "blood money" in exchange for the life of the woman.
"There is no execution date yet. We are still appealing the case. We can go up to the Supreme Court to appeal her case," he added.