VP Binay seeks help in raising blood money for OFW on death row

Vice President Jejomar Binay over the weekend appealed for donations to help raise by November 3 SR4 million (P45 million) in blood money for a Filipino facing execution in Saudi Arabia.

Malacañang echoed the call of Binay, the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino worker (OFW) concerns, to save Joselito Zapanta.

“Sana matulungan ho ninyo kami na makapag-ipon ng halaga. Pero talaga hong sobra lang talaga ang laki ng halagang pinag-uusapan dito. Ipanalangin po sana natin si Mr. Zapanta. Sa isang buwan na po ang kanyang execution kung hindi tayo mapapagbigyan ng palugit muli o kaya naman kung hindi tayo makakapag-release ng napakalaking halaga," Binay said in a post on the Office of the Vice President website.

Zapanta was sentenced to death for killing his landlord’s accountant, a Sudanese national, as well as stealing SR3,000 and two mobile phones.

Citing updates from Department of Foreign Affairs, Binay said the blood money collected so far amounted to only P520,831.05.

He said the deadline to settle the demands of the victim’s heirs is on November 3.

“Tatlong beses na tayong binigyan ng palugit para makapag-raise at binaba iyong halaga. Kaya lang may pasabi ngayon na sa darating na buwan hindi na papayag na ibaba ang halaga. Pero hindi naman nababanggit kung magbibigay pa ng palugit," he said.

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Saturday said on government-run dzRB radio that the "call-out... for the donations is also being echoed." — LBG, GMA News

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