MANILA,
Philippines - Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joselito Zapanta has been given
another month to raise the blood money needed to spare him from the death
penalty in Saudi Arabia, Vice President Jejomar Binay announced Wednesday.
“His
chances are getting better. Mr. Zapanta might not be executed,” the Vice
President said in an interview after the inauguration of the Disiplina Village
Phase 2 in Valenzuela City.
“We
were given another one month extension,” he added.
Binay
is the presidential adviser on OFW concerns.
Zapanta
was sentenced to death after killing Imam Ibrahim, a Sudanese national, over a
rental dispute in 2009.
Ibrahim’s
family initially demanded SAR 5 million for the execution of an affidavit of
forgiveness and prevent the imposition of the death penalty, but later reduced
the amount to SAR 4 million.
The
payment of the blood money was originally due on November 12, 2012, but was
extended to March 12, 2013. A second extension was granted, with the deadline
moved to Nov. 3, 2013.
Earlier,
Binay said Aquino had already given a “substantial” amount to augment Zapanta’s
blood money but the fund was still not enough to meet the amount being demanded
by the victim’s family.
The
Vice President also said the government was still negotiating with the victim’s
family to further lower the amount.
“First
of all, the victim’s wife has not returned to Saudi yet, she’s still in
[Sudan]. Second, we are still in talks with [Saudi] officials to help us save
Mr. Zapanta’s life,” Binay said.
Binay
again appealed to the public to help in raising the blood money for Zapanta.
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
Source: InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5
Source: InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5
