Fil-Am donates blood money for Dondon

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino-American businesswoman Loida Nicolas-Lewis and her group have deposited in a bank in Saudi Arabia the donations that they have collected to pay for the freedom of Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza.

ABS-CBN News reported that the group of Lewis made the deposit following the announcement of the Saudi Arabian embassy that the Saudi government will pay the 2.3 million Saudi Riyals (almost P26 million) balance of the 3 million Saudi Riyals (P33.4 million) in diyah or blood money.

Lewis and her group were able to raise $121,313, equivalent to more than 400,000 Saudi Riyals or almost P5 million.

The amount was deposited in a bank account in Al-Rajhi Bank in Dammam, Saudi Arabia that the office of the emir of the Eastern Region had opened and manages.

The amount had come from four separate bank accounts in Manila and New York.

Of the amount, $36,030 came from the account of former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Antonio Villamor and $46,459 from the account of Lanuza’s mother Letty.

Another $19,116 and $19, 607 had come from the bank accounts of Lewis in Manila and New York.

The Philippine government is expected to deposit $100,000 in the Saudi Arabian bank.