ANGELES CITY – Without certainty that some P36.4 million could be raised soon for “blood money”, a jailed overseas Filipino worker said yesterday he is preparing himself for possible execution.
The blood money was demanded by the family of an Arab he had killed allegedly on self defense in Saudi Arabia.
“I am preparing myself for execution by beheading,” said Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza, who has been in jail in Dammam, Saudi Arabia for almost 11 years now, told Punto via Internet yesterday.
He conveyed the same message to his supporters, including Filipino domestic helpers in Saudi, who have contributed various amounts to the “Barya Mo, Buhay Mo” campaign he and his friends launched after the family of the victim was persuaded last Feb. 27 to pardon him in exchange for monetary consideration or “diya” worth three milllion Saudi riyals or about P34.6 million.
But while Lanuza expressed disappointment with the Philippine embassy in Saudi in handling his case, he has remained hopeful that the government would still come to his rescue.
In his message, Lanuza recalled the case in 2007 of Filipino domestic helper Sarah Dematera who was also meted death penalty after she was convicted of killing her female employer. After 15 years in jail, the family of her victim also forgave her in exchange for “diya” worth two million Saudi riyals.
“A month after she was pardoned, the Philippine government was able to pay the entire amount, plus US$100,000 for attorney’s fees. Two months after the pardon, she flew home,” he noted.
He also said that after his pardon by the family last February, the embassy was reported to have committed the payment of the “diya” in his case within two months. He said he got this information from the Saudi Reconciliation Committee (SRC), a Saudi agency tasked to negotiate with families of murder victims for pardon.
“But it is now the fourth month since I was pardoned by the aggrieved family,” Lanuza noted, as he expressed fears that the family would change mind and have him executed if the blood money is not paid before the end of Ramadan this August.
Apparently, the tradition is for the blood money to be paid before the end of Ramadan, the greatest yearly religious observance in Islam.
The exact date of Ramadan is not determined in advance since it relies on the Islamic lunar calendar based on the initial visibility of the “hilal” or crescent moon following a new moon.
This year, however, Ramadan is projected to start on Aug. 1 and end on Aug. 29. SRC, a Saudi Arabian group, is credited with saving the lives of 173 people sentenced to death since its inception in 2008. Its mission is also to prevent haggling by the families of the murder victims over “diya.”
Lanuza quoted Philippine embassy attache Jerome Friaz as telling him last week that the embassy has been coordinating with SRC but he claimed that the embassy has not been sending any representative to recent meetings held by SRC on his case.
The last meeting was held only last Tuesday, he added.
