CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Hope seems brighter for Kapampangan overseas contract worker Joselito Zapanta who is facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia amid reports that a Saudi royalty has pledged some SAR 1 million for blood money to save his life.
In a statement yesterday, Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay also acknowledged the support extended by individuals who heeded the call for help in raising the blood money needed to spare Zapanta from the death penalty.
“There have been many people, especially among our own kababayans, who have expressed their intention to help. While they choose to remain anonymous, their kindness has gone a long way in raising the amount needed to save Zapanta,” Binay said.
Binay also mentioned an emir who made a substantial contribution to the blood money being raised for Zapanta, who was given another one-month extension in raising the amount. The contributor, Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Bin Abdul Aziz, nephew of Saudi King Abdullah, is believed to have pledged SAR 1 million.
“I hope that this amount, added to what the Philippine government has already raised, will be enough to spare Joselito’s life,” Binay said.
Zapanta was sentenced to death after killing Imam Ibrahim, a Sudanese national, over a rental dispute in 2009.
After initially demanding SAR 5 million for the execution of an affidavit of forgiveness and prevent the imposition of the death penalty, the victim’s family lowered the amount to SAR 4 million. Binay said that the government is in ongoing talks with the victim’s family to further lower the amount of blood money.
“Once again, I call on our kababayans to help in raising the needed blood money to save a fellow Filipino,” he said. The payment was originally due on Nov. 12, 2012, which was then extended to March 12, 2013. Another extension was granted, with the deadline moved to Nov. 3, 2013. A three-month extension was again given in
November, with the new one month extension up to this month.
Binay 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.
