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Friday, October 17, 2008
Guv asks to help OFWs on death row
By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –- The sister of two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who are on death row in Jeddah, is banking on the intervention of Governor Eddie Panlilio to appeal the case of her brothers.
Norie Gonzales came with Migrante International’s Garry Martinez to present their appeal to Panlilio, who arranged a dialogue between them and officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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Gonzales’s brothers Edison and Rolando, together with Eduardo Arcilla, all natives of Pandacaqui, Mexico, have been sentenced to death by the Grand Sharia Court last year for allegedly killing fellow OFWs Dante Rivero, Romeo Lumbang and Jeremias Bucud of Sta. Ana four years ago. The guilty verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeals there despite their plea of innocence.
Edison said they were severely tortured by Saudi policemen to own up the killings of their co-workers. The three accused Kapampangans have been reported to be beheaded anytime this week.
Norie, on the other hand, accompanied by Martinez, expressed alarm during last Wednesday’s dialogue over the immediacy of government intervention when Jennifer Binoya, Gonzales’s cell mate, was beheaded Thursday after spending three years in death row.
Martinez told Sun.Star Pampanga that in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, prisoners in death row awaiting their sentence are not informed of the time and date of execution until a few hours before the order is carried out.
“That is why,” he said, “we are exploring every available avenue or government official to help us seek clemency for the Gonzales brothers.”
Martinez, who requested for a news blackout during the dialogue with respect to the request of the relatives of the convicts, reportedly told Panlilio that he was “the best person who can save the lives of the three OFWs through his intervention.”
But later after the dialogue, Martinez said the news blackout seemed to work to the advantage of the government officials since he found their responses unsatisfactory.
Panlilio was unable to join Martinez’s party, Executive Director Cresencio Relacion of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, one Attorney Ali, and other DFA officials, as he led an emergency meeting of local department officials convened to take up the concerns of Gonzales and Migrante.
After the dialogue, Martinez said they were “promised” anew by Relacion that they would look into the matter immediately.
Martinez expressed frustration over the DFA and other concerned national government agencies’ inaction and insufficiency of legal assistance and moral support.
He said the verdict of the three accused were read in court without a lawyer or Philippine Embassy officials present during the sentencing.
He added that the DFA, despite its statement that it has been monitoring the case since day one, has taken too long in looking after the plight of the three and seven other Kapampangan OFWs still languishing in Middle East jails.
For the three Mexico natives’ case, the angle of “torture” has never been looked into, he said.
“During the dialogue,” Martinez said, “Edison talked to Cresencio via the cellular phone and expressed his very low morale with the execution of his male cell mate Jennifer.”
Meanwhile, Edison’s sister told Sun.Star Pampanga that they decided to seek media assistance on their pleas.
Norie showed this reporter two long text messages on her brothers’ claim of innocence and call for help.
Edison fathers three kids while Rolando rears four young children. Norie said Rolando had just been in Saudi for four months prior to the alleged crime. “Si Edison po ay 25 years na doon, at kinuha lang niya si Rolando para magtrabaho doon upang gumanda naman ang kabuhayan ng pamilya niya (Edison has been in Saudi for the last 25 years and he was the one who asked Rolando to work in Saudi to improve the life of his family),” Norie said.
Edison also claimed in a text message that they were tortured, that all accusations hurled against them were lies. He asked Norie to get a copy of their letter sent to one Attorney Garcia, saying the DFA has a copy. He also urged Norie to ask top government officials to intervene for them.
Martinez on the other hand said he has sought the help of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the plight of the OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
He said an official of the UNCHR has affirmed willingness to intervene in their case. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (October 17, 2008 issue)
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