Joselito Zapanta. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Facebook
MANILA, Philippines – Jailed overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joselito Zapanta in Saudi Arabia could be executed by January next year since the blood money has yet to be raised and the deadline has passed.
Vice President Jejomar Binay appealed anew for help in raising the blood money before he left for South Africa Monday night to attend the state funeral of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to our kababayans as the victim’s family is now becoming insistent,” Binay said in a statement.
“We fear that the execution may happen on January if the blood money is not paid,” he said.
Zapanta was jailed and given the death sentence for the killing of a Sudanese national Imam Ibrahim. The victim’s family had demanded 5 million Saudi Riyal for an affidavit of forgiveness for Zapanta. They later reduced the it to 4 million Riyal, Binay said.
Some 520,831 Riyals have been raised by the Philippine government so far. The deadline has been extended twice already, the latest being on November 3, 2013. The original deadline was November 12, 2012.
“We are appealing to everyone to help us in increasing the amount we have raised as the original amount was deemed too small by the victim’s family. They may agree to accept the blood money and pardon Zapanta if we increase the amount we are offering them,” Binay said.
“Donations may be made to the Riyadh Philippine Embassy’s sub-account for Zapanta 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,” he said in the statement.
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