MIGRANTS rights group, Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) today urges President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to seriously consider sending a ‘mercy mission’ as last-ditch effort to save OFW Joselito Zapanta from execution.
Zapanta has been incarcerated in Riyadh jail since 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord after a heated argument between the two ensued over house rental payment.
The family of the Sudanese, after several reconciliation efforts facilitated by the Saudi Reconciliation Committee (SRC), finally agreed to issue forgiveness to Zapanta in exchange of ‘tanazul’ or blood money amounting P55-M. The amount was reduced to P44-M roughly equivalent to 3.5-M Saudi rials.
The Sudanese family had imposed a deadline for the Zapanta side to fulfill the blood money until March 12, 2013. Failure to fulfill the blood money would mean a go for the doomed OFW’s execution.
“We are renewing our call to the Aquino III govt. to send a mercy mission as last-ditch effort to save OFW Zapanta,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.
Monterona added that this ‘mercy mission’ must be headed by Aquino’s top diplomatic officials, if not by his presidential adviser on OFWs concerns who is no other than Vice-president Jejomar Binay.
“Quoting news report, the kin of Zapanta were already in Riyadh as confirmed by VP Binay in a statement issued on Monday. The Zapantas’ should have been accompanied by PH high delegation to appeal to the Sudanese family and the Saudi government,” Monterona added.
Monterona lambasted the PNoy government for neglecting the flight of OFWs on Saudi death row.
“Just like the previous administrations, PNoy govt. failed to formulate a blue print to save the OFWs on death row precisely because it failed to recognize that most OFWs are victim of the government’s intensified labor export program, joblessness, and poverty,” Monterona lamented.
Monterona said Migrante chapters in the Middle East will spearhead vigil prayers and demonstrations to press the Aquino govt. to intensify its efforts to save OFW Zapanta and other OFWs on Saudi death row.
“We also renew our appeal to the Saudi govt. to spare OFW Zapanta from execution by urging the Sudanese family to give Zapanta’s family enough time to raise the blood money,” Monterona said.