Execs vow to explore legalities of ‘blood money’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga Third District Representative Oscar Rodriguez and Bacolor Mayor Jose Mari Hizon vowed Wednesday to explore legalities and technicalities surrounding the blood money intended to save executed Kapampangan overseas Filipino worker Joselito Zapanta.

Meeting with Joselito’s mother Mona and sister Rose Mary at the lawmaker’s district office at Heroes Hall here, Rodriguez said, “We really like to help them about this blood money which I prefer to call donation. But we have to do this the right way.”

Rodriguez and Hizon both said that they would have to look into initial fund-raising arrangements, who or which agency has possible custody of the blood money and the manner of its disposition.

“Gustong gusto nating tumulong sa pamilya ni Joselito. Pero dapat sa tama at legal na paraan upang mabigyan natin ng giya ang mga naulila, lalo na ang mga anak ni Joselito,” Rodriguez said.

A possible key to the process, Rodriguez furthered, is senatorial aspirant Susan Ople, who has since been helping the Zapantas when Joselito’s case was raised.

“A key here might be Susan Ople. Then again, we should know all the conditions, specific provisions and policies about this donation. Titingnan natin kung paano tayo, bilang lider at Kapampangan, ay makakatulong pa sa ilalim ng batas,” he said, adding he and Hizon are also ready to help the Zapanta family visit Joselito’s grave in Riyadh. “Kung papahintulan ng batas. Masilip man lang nila ang puntod.”

On Vice-President’s proposal regarding the payment of blood money and other forms of assistance to overseas Filipino workers in distress, Rodriguez said that it must be enacted into a law.

“Although to my knowledge, walang dumaang proposal sa amin. Kundi sana ay naisama iyan sa budget. But in fairness to the Vice-President, maganda ang objective niyan at dapat isabatas na at isama sa kung anong agency---DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) o DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) ba iyan,” he said.

He said that with the billions of dollars of OFW contributions yearly, creating a unit that would look into migrant workers’ concerns is doable.

“I will try to look into that and work on it seriously,” said Rodriguez. (JTD)

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