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. 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 Señeres said "Balabagan said it was bearable. Embassy officials visited her twice afterward, and there were no marks or bruises or reddening." However, she later said that her injuries were more serious than she said at the time. 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, appearing on a television program with Geri Halliwell. In 1998, she became a single parent after a brief relationship. In August 2003, she married Russell Vergara. She went on to have two more children. She later converted from Islam to Christianity after being introduced to a pastor by a Christian singer, Dulce Amor. She and Vergara divorced in 2010. In 2013, she married Jun Sereno, and they have a child. As of 2018, she lives in Las Vegas with her husband and five children. 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. She explained that her revelation was not out of vengeance, but to merely put an end to rumors. 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. In film 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