OFW advocate isinulong na i-donate ang bahagi ng blood money sa pamilya ni Zapanta

HINILING ni Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) advocate Susan Ople sa gobyerno na i-donate ang bahagi ng blood money na nalikom para sa binitay na si Joselito Zapanta sa kanyang naiwang pamilya at iba pang mga OFWs na nasa death row.

Binitay si Zapanta, 35 noong Martes sa Saudi Arabia matapos mapatay ang isang Sudanese national anim na taon na ang nakakaraan.

“Joselito left behind two children, who are only 13 and 11 years of age. His mother, Ramona, is also in need of medical attention. I appeal to our government to provide much needed assistance to the family especially now that Joselito is gone,” sabi ni Ople.

Tinutulungan na ng OFW advocate ang pamilya Zapanta noon pang 2013, sa pamamagitan ng Blas F. Ople Policy Center, na isang non-government organization.

“In Joselito’s case, the government was able to raise P23 million which is now in a bank account opened by the Philippine Embassy for the aggrieved Sudanese family. Since that amount had been rejected by the Sudanese widow thus leading to Joselito’s execution, would the government be amenable to donating some amount to the grieving Filipino family? That is a policy decision that needs to be clarified,” dagdag ni Ople.

Humingi ang pamilya ng Sudanese national na si Saleh Imam Ibrahim ng $1 milyon o P48 milyon.

Kasabay nito, isinulong ni Ople ang pagrerepaso sa polisiya ng gobyerno kaugnay ng blood money sa harap naman ng tinatayang 90 Pinoy na nasa death row sa iba’t ibang parte ng mundo, kung saan ilan dito ay nangangailangan ng blood money.
Inirekomenda rin ni Ople ang pagbubuo ng special unit na hahawak sa mga kaso ng mga nasa death row na nangangailangan ng blood money.

“The DFA should not be alone in this task because their role is limited to diplomatic functions and assistance to nationals through talks with their counterparts. A more cohesive and transparent mechanism and policy are needed because there are still several pending and urgent blood money cases involving OFWs in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait,” dagdag ni Ople.