| Members of a migrant group hold a rally at Mendiola in Manila to ask the government to save Joselito Zapanta, who is awaiting execution in Saudi Arabia. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN |
VICE President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday appealed to the public to pray for Joselito Lidasan Zapanta, a Filipino overseas worker convicted for murder and who is awaiting execution in Saudi Arabia.
Binay called on the people to pray that Zapanta’s life will be spared as the convict’s mother and sister left for Saudi Arabia. They were accompanied by personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office and the undersecretary for Migrant and Workers Affairs.
Zapanta’s mother, Mona and sister, Rose carried with them a letter from President Benigno Aquino 3rd, appealing for the postponement of the execution.
Binay said that the victim’s family is asking for SR5 million in blood money (about P55 million) to be given today. The family insisted that the sentence would be carried out if Zapanta’s family fails to meet the deadline.
The Vice President said that Zapanta’s family and the Philippine government have raised SR400,000.
Binay earlier sent a letter to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud seeking for a deferment of Zapanta’s execution.
An official of the DFA on Tuesday said that the Philippine government has pursued all diplomatic, legal and unofficial means to save Zapanta, who was convicted for killing and robbing a Sudanese.
With reports from Bernice Camille V. Bauzon And Benjie L. Vergara
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