MANILA (3rd UPDATE) - Domestic worker Jakatia Pawa was executed on Wednesday in Kuwait, despite various efforts by her family and government officials to save her life.

The news about her execution was announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said Pawa was executed at 10:19 a.m. (3:19 p.m. - Manila time) in Kuwait.

"The embassy was informed by prison authorities only yesterday. They were told that the execution would be implemented the following day," Jose said.

Pawa was accused and sentenced to death for killing her employer's daughter in 2007. But, until the end, she and her family, maintained her innocence.

"Since 2007, the department has pursued different channels in our effort to save the life of Ms. Pawa, including high level intercession led by then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," Jose said.

Jose explained that this involved diplomatic, political, and even religious channels.

He added that the embassy has been unrelenting in appealing to the victim's family to grant the tanazul or letter of forgiveness, but to no avail.

"With the tanazul, the death sentence would have been commuted," he said.

Jose said the Philippine government hired two top law firms in Kuwait to represent her at all stages of the court proceedings.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the government "provided the late Pawa all the assistance necessary to ensure all her legal rights are respected and all legal procedures are followed."

"Government likewise exerted all efforts to preserve her life, including diplomatic means and appeals for compassion," said Abella in a statement.

PAWA's FINAL DAYS

Before the execution, the Filipina was moved to a solitary cell with only a pillow, blanket, and a Qur'an. She was likewise provided with a cellphone and call cards to contact her family.

Pawa's family were able to travel to Kuwait three times to visit her.

"The last one took place in October 2016 and included her two children and a brother. The visits were facilitated by the Philippine government," he said.

The news about Pawa's execution on Wednesday shocked her family and supporters. Her brother, Col. Gary Pawa of the Philippine Air Force, thought the execution would be carried out on Thursday.

Pawa earlier made a last-minute appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to do everything in his power to help Jakatia.

"Sa ating mahal na pangulo, sana matulungan niya ang kapatid ko, maisalba ang buhay niya. Ibibitay na siya bukas," Pawa said.

Pawa said he only learned of the execution when his sister called early Wednesday morning.

"Tumawag kapatid ko kanina around 5 o'clock in the morning. Kasi nga nabigla nga ako kanina sa pagtawag niya kasi umiiyak. Sabi niya 'Kuya, bukas bibitayin na kami'," he said.

Pawa said he cried when he heard his sister's last wish.

"Magpapaalam ako. Kuya, huwag mong pabayaan dalawang anak ko, bukas bibitayin na ako. Yun lang mahihingi ko sa iyo," Pawa quoted his sister as saying.

Pawa's execution also came as a shock to the Filipino community in Kuwait, which had been expecting that her sentence would be commuted given that the Philippine embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs had put in effort to secure a "tanazul" or a letter of forgiveness from the victim's family.

A "tanazul" would state that the family grants the accused forgiveness for the crime committed, but it requires payment of blood money.

The family of Pawa's victim, however, had refused to give a "tanazul" from the beginning, but in a recent breakthrough, one of the family members reportedly was already willing to sit down and negotiate. -- With reports from Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN News