A SECOND CHANCE: WHY INTERNATIONAL PRISONER EXCHANGE SHOULD BE A NATIONAL POLICY

A SECOND CHANCE: WHY INTERNATIONAL PRISONER EXCHANGE SHOULD BE A NATIONAL POLICY

Every time I hear of a Filipino executed abroad, I feel a punch in the gut. The most recent was on October 8, 2024, in Saudi Arabia. A fellow Filipino, convicted of murder, met the full force of the law. The Philippine government tried—sent legal help, even a presidential letter—but the victim’s family refused to accept blood money.

He was executed anyway.

As of March 2023, there were 83 Filipinos on death row across the globe: Malaysia, UAE, Indonesia, China, Japan, and even the USA. Most of them are there for drugs or theft. Some were duped, others took risks, and a few may truly be guilty. But they all share one thing: they are Filipinos who ended up on foreign soil with no way out.

We hear these stories so often, we grow numb. At first there’s outrage, then despair, and finally, silence. Even government efforts eventually taper off. After all the appeals, negotiations, and legal motions—there comes a point when even our own government gives up.

But should we really give up?

Let me tell you a story you may remember: Sarah Balabagan. She was a teenager, a domestic helper in the United Arab Emirates, accused of murder in 1994. She faced the death penalty. She would have been another sad statistic—another compatriot lost—if not for one man who refused to give up on her.

That man was my late brother, Ambassador Roy Villareal Seneres.

Roy dug deep, not just into law but into principle. He found a loophole: under British law, life sentences were not allowed, so how could a British national in the UAE demand one? He used diplomacy, logic, and relentless effort to save her life. And he succeeded. Sarah came home alive.

But not every ambassador is like Roy. Not every case has a legal gray area to exploit. That’s why I believe we need another approach—something institutional, not situational. Something built into the fabric of our foreign policy.

That “something” is prisoner exchange.

It’s not a new idea. It’s a long-standing diplomatic practice, as old as diplomacy itself. And in this case, it can mean more than diplomacy—it can mean redemption.

Imagine this: instead of letting OFWs rot in foreign jails or worse, face execution, why not bring them home? Let them serve the rest of their sentence in Philippine custody, closer to their families, their culture, their language, and maybe even a shot at rehabilitation.

This isn’t just a dream. The ASEAN Regional Correctional Conference in 2025 already laid some groundwork. The Bureau of Corrections discussed ways to transfer Filipinos home to finish their sentences. Even the case of Mary Jane Veloso, imprisoned in Indonesia, has sparked conversations about swaps.

In September 2024, there were discussions about exchanging Alice Guo, a former mayor accused of trafficking, for Gregor Johann Haas, an Australian drug offender in Indonesia. It never materialized—but the seeds were planted.

Here’s the truth: we have the leverage. The Bureau of Immigration, BuCor, and BJMP all hold foreign nationals in custody. Why not use this for a humanitarian cause?

But we must go beyond isolated deals. We need a national policy on prisoner exchange—backed by clear guidelines, legal frameworks, and a comprehensive database of Filipinos incarcerated abroad. We must prioritize cases based on urgency, legality, and humanitarian grounds.

Why should Russia and Ukraine—nations at war—be able to do prisoner swaps, and we, a country that preaches compassion, cannot?

Let’s stop treating these cases as individual heartbreaks. Let’s start treating them as part of a system we can fix.

To President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., I say: you have spoken about digitalization, modernization, and protecting OFWs. This is a golden opportunity to lead with humanity and foresight.

I recommend forming an inter-agency task force under the Department of Foreign Affairs, with support from the Department of Migrant Workers. Let’s begin building a legal and logistical framework for prisoner exchange. Let’s identify which Filipinos can be saved, and which foreign prisoners we can offer in return.

This isn't just about diplomacy—it’s about dignity. About giving our people a second chance, even when they are far from home.

And if the DFA needs my help, I am here.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

08-01-2025