OFW group mocks Gonzalez on 'blood money' remarks
MANILA, Philippines - A group of Middle East-based Filipino workers taunted Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Wednesday for suggesting that OFWs in Kuwait contribute “blood money" to help save the life of domestic worker May Vecina whose death sentence was upheld on Tuesday by the Kuwait supreme court.
Vecina, 29, was sentenced to die by hanging last July for the death of Salem Sulaiman Al-Otaiba, a six-year-old son of her employers, and for two counts of frustrated murder for allegedly slashing the throat of the victim’s 13-year-old brother Abdullah and stabbing his 17-year-old sister Hajer in January 2007.
The Kuwait appeals court rejected Vecina’s motion for reconsideration last November until the case was elevated to the Cassation Court, which handed down its ruling last Tuesday also rejecting the appeal.
After the Cassation Court’s ruling, Gonzalez proposed that Filipinos in Kuwait contribute to raise the “blood money" that the family of Vecina’s victims would ask to pay as one of the conditions for the forgiveness of the crime she was convicted of.
Gonzalez said the government was focused on addressing the rice crisis.
April Fool's joke
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante-Middle East, viewed Gonzalez’s remarks as “garbage," implying that the government wanted to pass on to OFWs the burden of raising the blood money for Vecina.
He reminded Gonzalez that it is government’s responsibility to protect and provide assistance to OFWs on death row as well as those languishing in foreign jails, stranded and distressed, but who have long been neglected.
But the Justice secretary said paying blood money to convicted Filipinos abroad is not a government policy and that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s main concern right now is the looming rice crisis.
Monterona referred to Gonzalez as GOG, for grand old guy, whose remarks on important issue facing the government have often been unpleasantly met by many. He noted that Gonzalez incidentally made the suggestion on Vecina’s ‘blood money’ on April Fool’s Day.
The Manila-based Migrante International launched on Wednesday the Save Vecina signature campaign in a bid to put pressure on keeping the Filipino domestic helper from death by hanging in Kuwait.
Migrante prepared two letters of appeal addressed separately to the Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and President Arroyo for Vecina.
Both letters were signed initially by all Migrante group leaders as well as officers of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society (ATIS), Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong (ATKI - HK), and the Bethune House Migrants Women's Refuge Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW).
“You had earlier shown your kindness in the case of Marilou Ranario earlier this year by commuting her death sentence into life imprisonment. Both Ms. Vecina and Ranario were convicted by Kuwaiti's court for killing the daughter of her employer and employer, respectively," the letter for the Kuwaiti Amir read.
Raising funds
Despite the pronouncement of Gonzalez, Monterona explained that the Arroyo can fully shoulder Vecina’s blood money.
“She has a huge budget on the Presidential Social Fund. Just yesterday Mrs. Arroyo has announced that there is 0.5% government’s savings," Monterona asserted
“Her administration has money to induce its allies in Congress, it has money to buy votes during past elections, it has money as it overpriced government projects such as the ZTE-NBN (Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Corp-National Broadband Network) broadband deal and North-South Railway; but her administration has no money for ‘blood money’ to save OFW Vecina from death, no money for OFWs benefits and welfare programs, no money for the repatriation of distressed, jailed, and runaway OFWs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE," he added.
Monterona challenged Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro and all department heads and Philippine ambassadors to donate their two months salaries for Vecina’s blood money instead.
“With such kind act, they could have shown to the Filipino people and 10 million OFWs that at least they have contributed in their own personal capacity, and not as public officials, as we are not anymore expecting anything good from them, that they have a kind heart to offer too for OFWs and families which Mrs. Arroyo obviously has failed to offer," Monterona concluded. – Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
Vecina, 29, was sentenced to die by hanging last July for the death of Salem Sulaiman Al-Otaiba, a six-year-old son of her employers, and for two counts of frustrated murder for allegedly slashing the throat of the victim’s 13-year-old brother Abdullah and stabbing his 17-year-old sister Hajer in January 2007.
The Kuwait appeals court rejected Vecina’s motion for reconsideration last November until the case was elevated to the Cassation Court, which handed down its ruling last Tuesday also rejecting the appeal.
After the Cassation Court’s ruling, Gonzalez proposed that Filipinos in Kuwait contribute to raise the “blood money" that the family of Vecina’s victims would ask to pay as one of the conditions for the forgiveness of the crime she was convicted of.
Gonzalez said the government was focused on addressing the rice crisis.
April Fool's joke
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante-Middle East, viewed Gonzalez’s remarks as “garbage," implying that the government wanted to pass on to OFWs the burden of raising the blood money for Vecina.
He reminded Gonzalez that it is government’s responsibility to protect and provide assistance to OFWs on death row as well as those languishing in foreign jails, stranded and distressed, but who have long been neglected.
But the Justice secretary said paying blood money to convicted Filipinos abroad is not a government policy and that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s main concern right now is the looming rice crisis.
Monterona referred to Gonzalez as GOG, for grand old guy, whose remarks on important issue facing the government have often been unpleasantly met by many. He noted that Gonzalez incidentally made the suggestion on Vecina’s ‘blood money’ on April Fool’s Day.
The Manila-based Migrante International launched on Wednesday the Save Vecina signature campaign in a bid to put pressure on keeping the Filipino domestic helper from death by hanging in Kuwait.
Migrante prepared two letters of appeal addressed separately to the Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and President Arroyo for Vecina.
Both letters were signed initially by all Migrante group leaders as well as officers of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society (ATIS), Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong (ATKI - HK), and the Bethune House Migrants Women's Refuge Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW).
“You had earlier shown your kindness in the case of Marilou Ranario earlier this year by commuting her death sentence into life imprisonment. Both Ms. Vecina and Ranario were convicted by Kuwaiti's court for killing the daughter of her employer and employer, respectively," the letter for the Kuwaiti Amir read.
Raising funds
Despite the pronouncement of Gonzalez, Monterona explained that the Arroyo can fully shoulder Vecina’s blood money.
“She has a huge budget on the Presidential Social Fund. Just yesterday Mrs. Arroyo has announced that there is 0.5% government’s savings," Monterona asserted
“Her administration has money to induce its allies in Congress, it has money to buy votes during past elections, it has money as it overpriced government projects such as the ZTE-NBN (Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Corp-National Broadband Network) broadband deal and North-South Railway; but her administration has no money for ‘blood money’ to save OFW Vecina from death, no money for OFWs benefits and welfare programs, no money for the repatriation of distressed, jailed, and runaway OFWs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE," he added.
Monterona challenged Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro and all department heads and Philippine ambassadors to donate their two months salaries for Vecina’s blood money instead.
“With such kind act, they could have shown to the Filipino people and 10 million OFWs that at least they have contributed in their own personal capacity, and not as public officials, as we are not anymore expecting anything good from them, that they have a kind heart to offer too for OFWs and families which Mrs. Arroyo obviously has failed to offer," Monterona concluded. – Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
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