Family of Pinoy to be executed on Wednesday leaving for Saudi Arabia

By ANDREI MEDINA, GMA News

Published November 13, 2012 4:00pm

The family of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joselito Zapanta facing execution in Saudi Arabia for killing a Sudanese are on their way to Riyadh to plead for his life, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday.

Zapanta is scheduled to be executed by beheading on November 14 after he was found guilty for premeditated murder in 2009.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the relatives of Joselito Zapanta are bringing with them a letter seeking an extension of the deadline to raise the equivalent of P55 million in blood money to save Zapanta from execution.

"Papunta sila ng Riyadh para makipagkita kay Mr. Zapanta. Meron silang dalang sulat para i-request ang pagpahaba ng deadline ng pagbayad ng blood money," Hernandez said in an interview over radio dzBB.

"Hopefully pakinggan ang sulat nila at ni Vice President," Hernandez added.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino worker concerns said on Tuesday Zapanta's mother and sister left for Saudi Arabia after Saudi authorities allowed them to travel to the Kingdom.

In a post on his Facebook page, Binay said the kin were accompanied by personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant and Workers Affairs.

"Ipagdasal po natin ang ating kababayan na si Joselito Zapanta. Sana naman po sa tulong ng ating mga panalangin ay madugtungan ang kanyang buhay," he said.

In a post on his Facebook page, Binay also said that while the Sudanese victim's family wants SR5 million (roughly P55 million) in blood money, Zapanta’s family and the Philippine government have raised SR400,000.

Hernandez also said the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia had been extending legal assistance to Zapanta.

On Monday, Binay said Zapanta is to be beheaded this week on charges of murder, despite President Benigno Aquino III's appeal to spare his life.

Binay said Aquino had written Saudi King Abdullah last month to give Zapanta's family time to raise the amount.

However, in such cases, the fate of the offender rests with the decision of the victim's family.

"Ako naman po ay umapila sa hari ng Saudi Arabia sa isang sulat na ipapadala namin ngayon sa embahada ng Saudi at dadalhin bukas sa Saudi Arabia ng kinatawan ng DFA para personal na maipaabot kay King Abdullah," Binay said.

Binay also said the Philippine embassy has assisted Zapanta since he was arrested in 2009.

He asked Filipinos for prayers for Zapanta, even as he reminded Filipinos to respect and follow the laws in their host countries.

Prayers for Joselito

Meanwhile, in an interview with Jiggy Manicad for GMA Network's “Quick Response Team” program, Susan Ople, President of the Blas Ople Policy Center, said: “Ang mensahe lang ng pamilya, dasal at panalangin para kay Joselito at pati na rin sa kapatawaran nung kabilang partido.”

“Sila mismo ay humihingi rin nang tawad doon sa pamilya [ng biktima],” she continued.

Zapanta first went to Saudi as a tilesetter in 2007.

He has two children in Bacoor, Pampanga, ages 8 and 7. - VVP, GMA News

Tags: saudi, saudiarabia, pinoysinsaudi