Noy donates blood money for OFW on Saudi death row

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has pledged a substantial amount to help raise blood money for an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) facing death penalty in Saudi Arabia, Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

Binay declined to say the amount that Aquino pledged and how much the government has so far raised to help save Joselito Zapanta from execution.

“On our part, the President himself agreed to give a large amount of money. We think the amount is really substantial,” he said.

Zapanta was sentenced to death for killing Sudanese Imam Ibrahim.

 Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, remains optimistic that Zapanta will be saved from death despite the reported insistence of the victim’s family that they be paid SAR 4 million or P48 million.

“We will continue until we get a compromise. Let us pray that a compromise will come. The family of the victim wants the release of the entire amount,” the Vice President said.

Ibrahim’s family initially demanded SAR 5 million in exchange for a tanazul or affidavit of forgiveness to stop the imposition of the death penalty, but later agreed to reduce the amount to SAR 4 million.

The payment of the blood money was supposed to have been delivered on Nov. 12, 2012, but the deadline was extended to March 12, 2013. A second extension was granted, with the deadline moved to Nov. 3, 2013.

Binay earlier expressed fear Zapanta may be executed this month if the blood money being demanded by the victim’s family is not raised.

He said donations for Zapanta may be made to the Riyadh Philippine embassy’s sub-account in the Saudi Hollandi Bank: Account Number 037-040-790-022, International Bank Account Number (IBAN): SA 61-5000-0000-0370-4079-0022, Swift Code: AAALSARI.