Sunday, October 12, 2008 Sister appeals for brothers in death row
NORIE Gonzales, sister of Gonzales brothers who are sentenced to death in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reiterated her call for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to help ask commutation of sentence for her brothers.
Supported by Migrante International, Norie on Saturday made her appeal after she was informed by her brothers Rolando and Edison that the Court of Appeals once again had sentenced them to die by beheading last September 15.
According to Norie, when she was told by her brothers on July 23, 2007 that they were sentenced to death due to allegedly murdering a fellow Filipino, she already asked the help of the Philippine government and she was told that they are taking actions on it.
But when she received another call last September 15, Norie expressed disappointment, saying the government is not doing anything to help her brothers. "They said my brothers have a lawyer. But nobody from our Philippine Embassy assisted them," she said.
Despite said negligence, Norie who is a Kapampangan like President Arroyo believed that her call will be addressed by the latter.
Migrante meanwhile condemned the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Arroyo government for abandonment on the plight of the two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Rolando and Edison together with Eduardo Arcilla were sentenced to death by beheading for murdering a fellow countryman, while four others were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and 1,200 lashes as accessories to the crime.
The brothers said they were tortured to admit the crime. On April 12, 2008 they filed an objection regarding the verdict but it was upheld by the Court of Appeals.
Migrante expressed alarm because Crescencio Relacion, executive director of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (Oumwa), denied last Friday that the verdict on the Gonzales brothers and others was upheld by the court.
Migrante said they will conduct a local and international signature campaign appealing for the commutation of Gonzales's and Arcilla's sentence. They are also planning to seek help from United Nations and Amnesty International. (JRDB/Sunnex)
