Taiwan's Supreme Court cancelled an earlier judgment against a Filipino worker for the robbery and murder of a Taiwanese national. The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) said the high court has cancelled the original judgment against Cecilia Armia Alcaraz and ordered the Kaoshsiung's Appellate Court to reopen the case. “MECO officials have gone to the Kaohshiung detention facility to visit Cecile and go over the English translation of the SC decision,” said MECO Resident Representative Ambassador Antonio Basilio. Alcaraz was arrested in 2007 on charges of killing a Taiwanese English-language school jobs broker named Chiu Mei Yun. She was convicted by the Kaohsiung District Court of robbery and murder and was sentenced to death. However, her lawyer succeeded in overturning the death sentence which was reduced to life imprisonment by the Appellate Court. She then filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to overturn the robbery and murder charges. Last week, Alcaraz's lawyer received the Supreme Court's decision which did not re-impose the death penalty and set aside the Kaohsiung's Appellate Court's judgment last May affirming her guilt for robbery and murder and then sentencing her to life imprisonment. Basilio said the Supreme Court cited among others, the arguments presented by Alcaraz's lawyer, Jiao Wen Chen, which the Appellate Court appeared to have refused. The Supreme Court said that there were facts and evidence that have yet to be investigated to support or reject the claims of the accused. It also noted that the original judgment was clearly inconsistent and contradictory, which gives sufficient reason to remand the case to the Appellate Court. Meanwhile, Basilio reiterated that MECO will continue to support Alcaraz by providing her the necessary and proper legal assistance. Basilio said Alcaraz's legal panel is currently preparing for the Taiwan Appellate Court proceedings.
