A Filipino convicted of murdering a Saudi national has been executed in Saudi Arabia, putting him the list of 208 individuals put to death in 2024 for various crimes in the kingdom.

The 2024 deaths eclipsed Saudi Arabia’s record of 196 executions carried out in 2022.

The year also saw an execution record of 81 in a single day which took place notwithstanding the vow of reform in Saudi’s penal system.

Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine government did everything to save the life of the executed Filipino but to no avail.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wrote a letter of appeal to spare him but failed to convince the kingdom.

De Vega said Saudi authorities have not yet issued official confirmation of the death but the Philippine embassy in Riyadh had already received reports about the eecution.

“It was for murder of a Saudi national over money,” said De Vega.

The family of alleged victim has rejected the blood money offered in exchange of the life of the Filipino, declaring that they want the death penalty imposed.

The identity of the Filipino and details about the case are being withheld by government in deference to the wishes of relatives.

Saudi Arabia carried out 1,447 executions of individuals convicted of crimes punishable with death since 2015, the year Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was made crown prince by his father.

The Saudi government has applied for a seat on the Human Rights Council of the United Nations. Voting on the application has been scheduled on Wednesday (October 9).