Editing Sarah Balabagan

{{Short description|Filipino prisoner of the United Arab Emirates}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name             = Sarah Balabagan
| image            = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->
| alt              = <!-- descriptive text for use by the blind and visually impaired's speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption          = 
| birth_name       = 
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1979|03|08}}
| birth_place      = [[Maguindanao]], [[Philippines]]
| death_date       = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place      = 
| nationality      = [[Filipinos|Filipino]]
| other_names      = 
| occupation       = Overseas Filipino Worker (c. 1993–1994), singer, entertainer
| criminal_charge  = [[Premeditated murder]]
| criminal_penalty = {{ubl | [[Execution by firing squad|Death penalty, by firing squad]] (initial sentence) | 1 year of imprisonment and 100 lashes }}
| criminal_status  = Released (1996)
| years_active     = 
| known_for        = [[United Arab Emirates]] criminal trial
| notable_works    = 
| spouse           = Jun Sereno
| children         = 5
}}
'''Sarah Balabagan-Sereno<ref name="howseneressaved">{{cite news|title=How Seneres saved 14-year-old OFW from death row|url=http://news.abs-cbn.com/global-filipino/02/09/16/how-seneres-saved-14-year-old-ofw-from-death-row|accessdate=February 11, 2016|work=ABS-CBN News|date=February 9, 2016}}</ref>''' (born March 8, 1979) is a Filipino former migrant worker and media personality who was imprisoned in the [[United Arab Emirates]] from 1994 to 1996 for murder. She was initially sentenced to death, but her sentence was later reduced to a year of imprisonment and she returned to the Philippines. Her story was made [[The Sarah Balabagan Story|into a film]] in 1997.

== Early life ==
Balabagan grew up in a poor [[Filipino Muslim|Muslim]] family in [[Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao|Sultan Kudarat]], Maguindanao in the Philippines. She had 13 brothers and sisters but only six survived. Her siblings died due to disease and because of her family's financial constraints, which prevented them from availing adequate medical care. She worked for relatives at a young age to support her studies. She only managed to reach the fifth grade.<ref name="muslimchristian">{{cite news|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|last1=Rodis|first1=Rodel|title=Sarah Balabagan, from Muslim to Christian|url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view/20090408-198517/Sarah-Balabagan-from-Muslim-to-Christian|accessdate=February 10, 2016|date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715232811/http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view/20090408-198517/Sarah-Balabagan-from-Muslim-to-Christian|archive-date=July 15, 2015}}</ref> She has implied that she was abused by an uncle as a child.<ref>{{cite web|date=December 8, 2013|title=Wealth of the poor An Economic Look into Poverty|url=http://thejeepney.com/pdf/TheJEEPNEY_mag_Issue_6.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208131817/http://thejeepney.com/pdf/TheJEEPNEY_mag_Issue_6.pdf|archive-date=December 8, 2013|accessdate=May 17, 2019}}</ref>

==Employment==
At age 14, Balabagan decided to work abroad. Her recruiter listed her age as 28 and managed to secure a job for her. She learnt of this falsification only when she was already on her flight to the United Arab Emirates. She was tasked by contract to work for a 67-year-old widower with four sons. Balabagan was anxious of the employment and convinced herself that her employers would respect her since she and they were Muslims.<ref name="muslimchristian"/>

This was later proven to be false, as Balabagan became a subject of unsolicited sexual advances.<ref name="muslimchristian"/>

==Case==
On July 19, 1994, Balabagan 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-defense.

On June 26, 1995, a court ruled that she was guilty of [[manslaughter]] as well as a victim of rape. She was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and ordered to pay 150,000 [[United Arab Emirates dirham|dirhams]] ({{USD|40,000|link=yes}}) in [[Blood money (restitution)|blood money]] to al-Baloushi's relatives, while at the same time awarded 100,000 dirhams (US$27,000) as compensation for the rape.<ref>[http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/united_arab_emirates/document.do?id=E89468C4D74AC97F802569A500715749 "Amnesty International is concerned about the capital sentence imposed on Sarah Balabagan"], September 27, 1995.</ref> 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 [[Execution by firing squad|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 [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf]], 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]] Sheikh [[Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan]] that al-Baloushi's family agreed to drop their execution demand in exchange for blood money.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Judicial caning, Arab Emirates, Oct 1995 - CORPUN ARCHIVE aeju9510 |url=https://www.corpun.com/aeju9510.htm |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=www.corpun.com}}</ref> On October 30, at her third trial, her sentence was reduced to a year's imprisonment and 100 strokes of the [[caning|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 Señeres]] said "Balabagan said it was bearable. Embassy officials visited her twice afterward, and there were no marks or bruises or reddening."<ref>[http://www.corpun.com/aeju9602.htm "Philippine Maid Gets Symbolic 100 Lashes"], ''Los Angeles Times'', February 10, 1996.</ref> However, she later said that her injuries were more serious than she said at the time.<ref name=chapter>{{cite news |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100821-288125/Sarah-Balabagan-The-next-chapter |title=Sarah Balabagan The next chapter |accessdate=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318061357/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100821-288125/Sarah-Balabagan-The-next-chapter |archive-date=March 18, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="chronicle">{{cite web |last1=Ader |first1=Carlota |url=http://www.thefilipinochronicle.com/hfchronicle%20Feature-Exclusive%20Interview_05142016.html |title=Set Free: The Story of Sarah Balabagan-Sereno| accessdate=August 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202135409/http://www.thefilipinochronicle.com/hfchronicle%20Feature-Exclusive%20Interview_05142016.html |archive-date=February 2, 2018}}</ref> She returned to the Philippines on August 1, 1996, to a hero's welcome.

==Later life==
Shortly after her release, Balabagan embarked on a career as a singer. In 1998, she became a single parent after a brief relationship.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kingsu-Cheng|first=Jane|date=August 24, 2020|title=Everything you need to know about the Sarah Balabagan-Arnold Clavio connection|work=Manila Bulletin|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/24/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-sarah-balabagan-arnold-clavio-connection/}}</ref> In August 2003, she married Russell Vergara. She went on to have two more children.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 25, 2011|title=Sarah Balabagan: Moving on from darkness to light|work=The Manila Times|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2011/07/25/news/top-stories/sarah-balabagan-moving-on-from-darkness-to-light/713996/}}</ref> She later converted from Islam to [[Christianity in the Philippines|Christianity]] after being introduced to a pastor by a Christian singer, Dulce Amor.<ref name="muslimchristian"/> She and Vergara divorced in 2010.<ref name=chapter/>

In 2013, she married Jun Sereno, and they have a child.<ref name=chronicle/> As of 2018, she lives in [[Las Vegas]] with her husband and five children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://philnews.ph/2018/09/08/sarah-balabagan-life-now/|title=Remember OFW Sarah Balabagan? She Is Living This Kind Of Life Now|date=September 8, 2018|website=Philippine News|accessdate=May 17, 2019}}</ref>

In August 2020, Balabagan confirmed that the father of her first-born child is the journalist [[Arnold Clavio]], who exclusively covered her murder case, and revealed that their relationship happened when she was 17 years old.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Severo|first=Jan Milo|title='Walang bahong hindi lalabas': Sarah Balabagan confirms Arnold Clavio is father of first born|url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2020/08/24/2037505/walang-bahong-hindi-lalabas-sarah-balabagan-confirms-arnold-clavio-father-first-born| access-date=2020-08-24|work=[[Philstar.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Santiago|first=Ervin|date=August 24, 2020|title=Makalipas ang 22 taon, Sarah Balabagan umamin na: Ang ama po ng panganay ko ay si Arnold Clavio|work=[[Inquirer Bandera]]|url=https://bandera.inquirer.net/262321/makalipas-ang-22-taon-sarah-balabagan-umamin-na-ang-ama-po-ng-panganay-ko-ay-si-arnold-clavio |access-date=August 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Siazon|first=Rachelle|date=August 24, 2020|title=Sarah Balabagan reveals Arnold Clavio is the biological father of her 21-year-old daughter|work=Philippine Entertainment Portal|url=https://www.pep.ph/news/local/153434/sarah-balabagan-arnold-clavio-a716-20200824-lfrm2}}</ref> She explained that her revelation was not out of vengeance, but to merely put an end to rumors.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/388277/watch-sarah-balabagan-names-arnold-clavio-as-father-of-her-firstborn|title=WATCH: Sarah Balabagan names Arnold Clavio as father of her firstborn |newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer|Inquirer Entertainment]] |last=Arcadio |first=Ryan |date=August 24, 2020 |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-spotlights/2020/08/24/175555/hair-time-arnold-clavio-posts-hair-do-photos-amid-claims-of-fathering-sarah-balabagans-child/ |title='Hair time!': Arnold Clavio posts hair-do photos amid claims of fathering Sarah Balabagan's child |last=Malasig |first=Jeline |date=August 24, 2020 |work=[[Interaksyon]] |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref> She also added that she apologized to "everyone she hurt", including her family and the family of Clavio, and that Clavio's wife has expressed forgiveness, via a messaging app.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/08/24/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-sarah-balabagan-arnold-clavio-connection/|title=Everything you need to know about the Sarah Balabagan-Arnold Clavio connection|work=[[Manila Bulletin]]|date=August 24, 2020|access-date=August 31, 2020|last=Kingsu-Cheng|first=Jane}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.msn.com/en-ph/entertainment/entertainmentnews/arnold-clavios-wife-reacts-to-sarah-balabagans-revelation/ar-BB18ksys|title=Arnold Clavio's wife reacts to Sarah Balabagan's revelation|work=MSN Philippines|last=Bernardo|first=Neil|date=August 24, 2020|access-date=August 31, 2020}}</ref>

==In film==
{{See also|The Sarah Balabagan Story}}
Balabagan's story was dramatised in the 1997 Philippine film ''[[The Sarah Balabagan Story]]''. Directed by [[Joel Lamangan]], the [[Filipino 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==
*[[Overseas Filipinos]]
*[[Philippines–United Arab Emirates relations]]
*[[Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates]]
*[[Flor Contemplacion]]
*[[Mary Jane Veloso]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://sarahbalabagan.com/ Her official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20000817093447/http://www.time.com/time/international/1995/951023/justice.html Campaign against her death sentence]
*[http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/96/0816/nat3.html She returns to the Philippines]
*{{IMDb title|id=0337145|title=The Sarah Balabagan Story}}
*[http://www.philmusic.com/zine/news/1999/06/061299_sarah/index.htm Her singing career]
*[http://www.inq7.net/globalnation/sec_new/2003/aug/09-03.htm She announces her engagement]
*[http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/97/0328/feat1.html Controversy surrounding the film]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100705042501/http://filamstar.net/index.php?id=516 2009 article]}}
*[http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/headlines-mt/2784-sarah-balabagan-moving-on-from-darkness-to-light Manila Times article]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balabagan, Sarah}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Filipino migrant workers]]
[[Category:Converts to Pentecostalism from Sunni Islam]]
[[Category:Filipino evangelicals]]
[[Category:Filipino former Sunni Muslims]]
[[Category:Filipino Pentecostals]]
[[Category:Filipino people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Filipino prisoners sentenced to death]]
[[Category:Filipinos convicted of murder]]
[[Category:Filipino domestic workers]]
[[Category:People convicted of murder by the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:People from Sultan Kudarat]]
[[Category:Prisoners sentenced to death by the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Violence against women in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Filipino expatriates in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Filipino expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Whipping]]
[[Category:Maids]]
[[Category:Child sexual abuse in the Philippines]]