PNoy urged to send 'mercy mission' for Zapanta

MANILA, Philippines - A migrant workers' rights group on Tuesday urged President Benigno Aquino III to send a team to Saudi Arabia for a mercy mission for overseas Filipino worker Joselito zapanta.

Migrante-Middle East said the mercy mission to spare Zapanta should be led by Aquino’s top diplomatic officials or his presidential adviser on OFWs concerns, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Quoting news reports, the kin of Zapanta are already in Riyadh as confirmed by VP Binay in a statement issued on Monday. The Zapantas’ should have been accompanied by the Philippines' high delegation to appeal to the Sudanese family and the Saudi government," the group said.

Zapanta has been jailed in Riyadh since 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord after an argument over house rental payment.

After several efforts facilitated by the Saudi Reconciliation Committee, the family of the Sudanese landlord finally agreed to forgive Zapanta in exchange of "tanazul" or the payment of blood money amounting P55 million. The amount was later reduced to P44 million, roughly equivalent to 3.5 million Saudi rials.

The Sudanese family has imposed a deadline for Zapanta's camp to give the blood money until March 12 or else Zapanta would be executed.

"We also renew our appeal to the Saudi government to spare Zapanta from execution by urging the Sudanese family to give Zapanta’s family enough time to raise the blood money," Migrante added.