Riyadh governor pledges SR1M for OFW Zapanta's blood money – report

Hope remains for Joselito Zapanta, the overseas Filipino worker facing execution in Saudi Arabia, after the governor of Riyadh pledged SR1 million for his blood money, according to a report posted Wednesday on Saudi news site Arab News.

The pledge made by Riyadh Governor Prince Khaled bin Bandar was announced by Vice President Jejomar Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, the report said.

“I hope that this amount and the amount raised by the Philippine government will be enough to spare Joselito’s life,” Binay said.

But while OFWs welcomed the development, they are still concerned how to raise the SR3 million still needed to complete needed for the blood money.

"The only problem now is from where to gather the rest of the SR4 million being asked by the victim’s family," OFW Congress president Alex Bello said.

Zapanta was meted the death sentence in Saudi Arabia for killing Imam Ibrahim, a Sudanese national, over a rental dispute in 2009.

Ibrahim’s family initially demanded SR5 million, but agreed to lower the amount to SR4 million.

While the deadline for paying the blood money was originally set Nov. 12, 2012, it was extended several times. Most recently, the deadline was extended by one month.

President Benigno Aquino III has already given a “substantial” amount to augment Zapanta’s blood money, but still does not reach the P40 million being demanded by the victim’s family, Binay had earlier said. — KBK, GMA News

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