CLARK FREEPORT – A Filipino overseas contract worker who has been facing execution in a jail in Saudi Arabia for the last 12 years has finally gained freedom.
In an email sent via his cellphone, Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza, 39, announced his freedom after the payment of some P35 million raised by his supporters as blood money for the family of a Saudi national he had killed allegedly in self-defense way back in 2000.
“My family how can I ever say thank you for not giving up on me. I commit myself to doing the same thing you have done to my fellowmen.
May I be a continuing model that the Filipino sense of bayanihan and the resilience of the Filipino spirit are alive and well,” Lanuza said.
Lanuza also extended his “apologies to those I have offended in the past. There were times that my frustrations have turned to anger and blinded my sight. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“At last, my ordeal comes to an end. The success I return to all. Mabuhay po tayong lahat,” he said.
Lanuza has become a social networking celebrity after he and his supporters launched in his Facebook account a campaign called “Barya Mo, Buhay Ko” to raise the blood money demanded by the family of his victim.
Last year, the Saudi Reconciliation Committee (SRC) announced that Lanuza could be saved from execution if blood money was paid to the family of his victim.
The SRC, whose executive chairman is Dr. Nasser Bin Mesfir Al- Zahrani, is credited with saving the lives of 173 people sentenced to death since its inception in 2008. Its mission is to prevent haggling by the families of the murder victims over blood money or “diya.”
Pardoning or forgiving a murderer is permissible in the Shariah, for the sake of Allah, or through the payment of “diya.” In the case of Lanuza, the eldest child of the aggrieved family determined the amount of “diya” with the other option to otherwise have Lanuza beheaded.
In his Facebook account, Lanuza gave out the number of a bank account in Malolos, Bulacan. He also issued information on how his parents could be contacted to authenticate the fund raising campaign.
In his email after his release was announced, Lanuza noted that “when one’s foot is in the grave, he is left with despair, fear and hopelessness. The knowledge that one’s life will be snuffed out in an instance has been haunting me all throughout.”
“I have been in this dire situation for the past few years and the flame of hope was about to be extinguished, yet people from all walks of life have encouraged me to continue my plight and for that I am truly grateful,” he said.
Lanuza also said that “being behind bars have opened my eyes to how much freedom can be so delicate that taking things for granted in the future is no longer an option for me.”
“To my Creator, the glory is always for You. I am now a changed man with a better outlook in life. For the aggrieved family, my utmost gratitude for sparing my life, hearing the plea of my loved ones and giving me the chance to be with them again. This I shall forever cherish,” he added.
Lanuza also thanked the Saudi Reconciliation Committee, even as he also expressed gratitude to Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz bin Al-Saud for “closely monitoring my case.”
He also thanked Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis. “She, being a model of sincerity a God-fearing woman and the epitome of a Filipina for a just cause was the moving hand towards my appeal to influential and common people alike to push my case forward,” he said.
“How can I forget former Ambassador Antonio Villamor who even after his retirement, pursued my case without haste and saw it through to the final negotiations. You have been the father who looked after me even if I was at times a hard case,” he also said.
Lanuza was also thankful “to the Philippine government through its branches, the Philippine Embassy and DFA (Department of Foreign Affair) staffs and to Undersecretary Rafael Seguis for being there during the penultimate negotiations.”
He also cited Migrante Middle East “through its representative John Monterona for driving my case to the government’s attention that have inspired me to no end to be alive.
