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Monday, October 20, 2008
Group blames gov't for beheaded OFW case
MANILA –- A migrant workers group blamed Foreign Affairs officials and Vice President Noli de Castro for the execution of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia last week.
Migrante said officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Vice President de Castro should be held criminally liable for mishandling the case of Venancio Ladion, 27, a native of Zamboanga Sibugay.
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Ladion, also known as Jenifer Bidoya, was executed by beheading in Saudi Arabia last week for killing an Arab national.
Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s government, as a whole, is guilty of negligence and of deliberately trying to cover up the Bidoya case away from the public’s attention.
The group, in particular, blamed de Castro, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. and Consul General Ezzedin Tago for Bidoya’s execution, adding that their “heads must roll.”
“The relatives of OFW Jenifer Bidoya who are now openly speaking to the media how the Arroyo administration abandoned and neglected him during his trial by not providing legal assistance are much truthful and reliable than earlier pronouncements made by the big liars in Malacañang and DFA. They’ve lied to the family of OFW Bidoya; they’ve lied to the public to cover themselves. This is condemnable,” said Monterona.
He said Foreign Affairs officials admitted their guilt in the radio program of de Castro last Friday when Tago said the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) only provided an interpreter to Bidoya and not a lawyer during the initial stages of the trial of his case.
Tago further said a lawyer was only hired in the later part when Bidoya’s case was elevated to the Saudi Court of Appeals.
“The negligent Arroyo administration acted too late with little efforts to save Bidoya. Worst, the DFA even gagged the family of Bidoya by telling them not to reveal Bidoya’s case to the media but only gave false promises to the family. Again, this is condemnable in the strongest term possible,” said Monterona.
Citing an anonymous PCG insider who was privy to Bidoya’s case, Migrante said Bidoya fought back in defense of himself against a number of Arab nationals, believed to be high on drugs, who were allegedly planning to gang-rape him.
Bidoya killed one of these Arab nationals, for which he was charged with murder and sentenced to die.
According to Migrante, the PCG insider said all the police reports and documents that were signed by Bidoya are all in Arabic, thus it was doubtful that he was able to fully understand what was written, much less, what he signed himself into that sealed his faith.
The group added that unless the mass exodus of Filipinos will be stopped, many OFWs will fall victims of their own government's criminal neglect and abandonment.
“But the Arroyo administration is hell-bent to selling cheap its own people, that is why it is hosting the most anti-migrant confab, the 2nd Global Forum on Migration on Development (GFMD) to further commodify its own people and corner their huge remittances but neglecting their well-being, rights and welfare,” said Monterona.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier defended the government against migrant workers claims, saying all efforts were exerted to save Bidoya.
“I am very sure there were efforts exerted by the DFA,” Ermita said, adding that the government already has one absolute pardon, three conditional pardons and parole, as well as 18 commutation of sentences.
He also disclosed that President Arroyo has sent two letters to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud requesting clemency for the convicted OFW and a deferment of issuance of the Royal Decree of Execution.
Ermita added that Arroyo also asked for an officer to the Royal Court who can help convince the family of the victim to forgive Bidoya.
However, the victim’s family insisted on the right to an imposition of the penalty and refused to forgive Bidoya.
Migrante chapters in the Middle East coming from United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will actively participate by sending their own delegations in the upcoming International Alliance of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR), a gathering of migrant grass roots and refugees organizations around the world to expose and oppose the 2nd GFMD in Manila.
The event will be help on October 28 to 30 and is aimed to bring the group’s condemnation to the criminally negligible Arroyo government in the international community. (ECV/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (October 20, 2008 issue)
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