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Advocates Philippines
3,000 OFWs In Legal Trouble Abroad DMW Says No One Is Left To Face It Alone
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Around 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are currently dealing with legal cases in different parts of the world—and 24 of them are on death row—according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Speaking at a media briefing in Mandaluyong City on Monday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government continues to provide legal help to OFWs in distress, working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), embassies, and consulates.
“We’re handling around 3,000 cases,” Cacdac said. “My instruction to our migrant workers offices is to make sure there’s more than one lawyer handling these cases.”
Saudi Arabia has the highest number of Filipinos facing legal problems, largely because it also has the biggest OFW population. The cases range from labor disputes to serious criminal charges across various regions.
As for those on death row, Cacdac said most of the cases were inherited from the DFA when the DMW was established in 2021. DMW Assistant Secretary for Welfare Maria Regina Galias added that many of these cases are drug-related.
“Malaysia had a lot of death row cases, mainly drug-related,” Galias said, noting that in some countries, drug offenses can carry the death penalty almost immediately. Other death row cases are found in parts of the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
To handle the growing caseload, the DMW works with 25 retained foreign law firms and 10 in-house lawyers, all while staying in close coordination with the DFA and Philippine foreign posts.
There have been wins as well. Cacdac revealed that two Filipinos on death row in Saudi Arabia recently had their sentences commuted.
“Two death row cases in Saudi were lowered. They are no longer on death row,” he said, adding that details could not be shared for privacy reasons.
Encouragingly, the number of Filipinos on death row has dropped significantly—from as high as 40 to 70 in previous years, down from 49 last year to 24 this year. Cacdac credited the decline to sustained legal support, stronger bilateral engagement, and reforms in host countries, particularly Malaysia, which opened pathways for sentence commutation.
Cacdac assured the public that the DMW regularly checks on detained OFWs through jail visits and keeps families informed about case developments and available assistance.
“We visit the families, we talk to them, and we assist them,” he said, stressing that the government remains committed to standing by Filipinos in their most difficult moments abroad.
Speaking at a media briefing in Mandaluyong City on Monday, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the government continues to provide legal help to OFWs in distress, working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), embassies, and consulates.
“We’re handling around 3,000 cases,” Cacdac said. “My instruction to our migrant workers offices is to make sure there’s more than one lawyer handling these cases.”
Saudi Arabia has the highest number of Filipinos facing legal problems, largely because it also has the biggest OFW population. The cases range from labor disputes to serious criminal charges across various regions.
As for those on death row, Cacdac said most of the cases were inherited from the DFA when the DMW was established in 2021. DMW Assistant Secretary for Welfare Maria Regina Galias added that many of these cases are drug-related.
“Malaysia had a lot of death row cases, mainly drug-related,” Galias said, noting that in some countries, drug offenses can carry the death penalty almost immediately. Other death row cases are found in parts of the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
To handle the growing caseload, the DMW works with 25 retained foreign law firms and 10 in-house lawyers, all while staying in close coordination with the DFA and Philippine foreign posts.
There have been wins as well. Cacdac revealed that two Filipinos on death row in Saudi Arabia recently had their sentences commuted.
“Two death row cases in Saudi were lowered. They are no longer on death row,” he said, adding that details could not be shared for privacy reasons.
Encouragingly, the number of Filipinos on death row has dropped significantly—from as high as 40 to 70 in previous years, down from 49 last year to 24 this year. Cacdac credited the decline to sustained legal support, stronger bilateral engagement, and reforms in host countries, particularly Malaysia, which opened pathways for sentence commutation.
Cacdac assured the public that the DMW regularly checks on detained OFWs through jail visits and keeps families informed about case developments and available assistance.
“We visit the families, we talk to them, and we assist them,” he said, stressing that the government remains committed to standing by Filipinos in their most difficult moments abroad.
Dec 23, 2025
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