HOME SWEET HOME After languishing in jail for years in Saudi Arabia, pardoned overseas Filipino worker Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza finally arrives home Thursday. Video by INQUIRER.net’s Matikas Santos
MANILA, Philippines – Pardoned overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza finally arrived back in the Philippines after his many years in death row in Saudi Arabia.
Rodelio Celestino Lanuza. FILE PHOTO
Lanuza was previously sentenced to death in 2001 for killing a Saudi man. He was freed after the Philippine government, with the help of the King Abdullah of Saudi, paid for the 3 million Saudi Riyal blood money to the family of the victim.
King Abdullah shelled out 2.3 million Saudi Riyal of the blood money while the Philippine government and supporters of Lanuza raised the remaining 700,000 Saudi Riyal.
He arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 aboard Etihad Airlines flight EY427 at 3:05 p.m. Thursday from Abu Dhabi.
He, along with his family who was with him, was initially led to a lounge after arriving where he was interviewed by the media.
Past 4 p.m he was led out of the terminal and into a waiting van of ABS-CBN. He did not give any statement to members of the media who were waiting outside the baggage claim area.
RELATED STORIES:
Pardoned Lanuza flying home a free man