Sarah Balabagan

Sarah Balabagan
Birth name Sarah Balabagan
Born August 16, 1979
Origin Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao,
Philippines Philippines
Genres OPM, Pop music
Occupation(s) Singer, Entertainer
Years active 1994–present
Website Official site

Sarah Balabagan (pronounced Ba-la-BAH-gan; born August 16, 1979) was a Filipina imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates from 1994–1996 for murder. She was initially sentenced to death, but was later extradited to the Philippines. Her story was made into a controversial film in 1997.

Early life

Balabagan grew up in a Muslim community on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, in the town of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Maguindanao. She was the fourth of fourteen children, half of whom died in childhood. She has implied that she was abused by an uncle as a child.[1]

She left to become a domestic worker, lying about her age, and obtained a post in the town of Al Ain in the UAE.

Case

On July 19, 1994, she killed her employer, Almas Mohammed al-Baloushi, stabbing him 34 times. She alleged that he had tried to rape her, and that she was acting in self-defence.

On June 26, 1995, a court ruled that she was guilty of manslaughter as well a victim of rape. She was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and ordered to pay 150,000 dirhams (US$40,000) in blood money to al-Baloushi's relatives, while at the same awarded 100,000 dirhams (US$27,000) as compensation for the rape.[2] However, the prosecution appealed the verdict, calling for the death penalty. On September 6, 1995, a second Islamic court found no evidence of rape and convicted her of premeditated murder, sentencing her to death by firing squad. There was an international outcry and a defense campaign in several countries, as her case was seen as symbolising the ill-treatment of domestic servants in the Gulf countries, and just a few months earlier there had been the rather similar case of Flor Contemplación, a Filipina domestic worker who was hanged in Singapore that March.

Reportedly, it was only after a personal appeal for mercy by President of the United Arab Emirates Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that al-Baloushi's family agreed to drop their execution demand in exchange for blood money.[3] On October 30, at her third trial, her sentence was reduced to a year's imprisonment and 100 strokes of the cane, along with payment of blood money, which was donated by a Filipino businessman. She was caned in 20 strokes at a time over five days spanning January 30 – February 5, 1996. Philippine Ambassador Roy Seneres said "Balabagan said it was bearable. Embassy officials visited her twice afterward, and there were no marks or bruises or reddening." [4] However, she later said that her injuries were more serious than she said at the time.[5] She returned to the Philippines on August 1, 1996, to a heroine's welcome.

Later life

Shortly after her release, Balabagan embarked on a career as a singer, appearing on a television programme with Geri Halliwell.

In 1998, she became a single parent after a brief relationship with a journalist. In August 2003, she announced her engagement to Russell Vergara. She went on to have two more children. She later converted from Islam to become a Christian.[6][7] She and Vergara later divorced in 2010.[5]

In film

Balabagan's story was dramatised in the 1997 Philippine film The Sarah Balabagan Story. Directed by Joel Lamangan the Tagalog-language film starred Vina Morales in the title role which was initially offered to Balabagan herself but had declined. The government of the Philippines made several attempts to prevent the film from being shown lest it damage bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates, and its release was delayed for several months.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Interview with The Jeepney
  2. ↑ "Amnesty International is concerned about the capital sentence imposed on Sarah Balabagan", September 27, 1995.
  3. ↑ "Filipina maid sentenced to caning, prison in Emirates", Nando Times, October 30, 1995.
  4. ↑ "Philippine Maid Gets Symbolic 100 Lashes", Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1996.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sarah Balabagan The next chapter
  6. ↑ "Sarah Balabagan Thanks God, Encourages OFWs with New Album", Pinoy Youth, September 18, 2008.
  7. ↑ http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view/20090408-198517/Sarah-Balabagan-from-Muslim-to-Christian Global Nation article

External links