While the rest of the country is counting days to Christmas, the family of overseas Filipino worker Joselito Zapanta is praying hard for the postponement of another day—the execution date of their loved one in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Zapanta worked as a tile-setter in Saudi Arabia in 2007. In June 2009, he was arrested and sentenced to death for the murder of his Sudanese landlord after a heated altercation over rent.
In November 2012, the aggrieved Sudanese family, particularly the widow, sought blood money amounting to SR 5 million or the equivalent of P50 million. This amount was later on reduced to P48 million, of which the family with the help of the Philippine government was able to raise P23 million.
“Unfortunately, the Sudanese family has refused any amount lower than their demand of P48 million. This means that the Zapanta family needs to raise P25-million in a span of two weeks, or maybe less, considering that a royal decree had already been issued for the implementation of the sentence,” Susan Ople, president of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center said.
According to Ople, Joselito’s mother, Ramona Zapanta, and his sister, Rosemay, have sought the help of the Center so that they could be able to air their appeal for help through the media.
“Joselito called me up yesterday to seek help and gave permission for the family to make the necessary media rounds with the hope that some good Samaritans would be able to help them. The amount is so huge and the family is really cash-strapped and extremely poor,” Ople, who is currently running for the Senate, said.
Ople said that she was able to confirm the urgency of Joselito’s request from the Philippine Embassy last Monday, while visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss cases involving distressed OFWs.
“Last Monday, I was in Riyadh to meet with Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Ezzedin Tago. He confirmed that Joselito’s case has become extremely urgent. We are talking about weeks here, hence the need for the family to go public in order to seek everyone’s help,” Ople said.
The Blas F. Ople Policy Center is a non-profit organization helping distressed OFWs and human trafficking victims. It has been in existence for more than 10 years, and is named after former labor secretary and Senate president, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople.
Those who wish to help Zapanta may get in touch with the Ople Center at 833-5337.