CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) bared plans to grant scholarships to orphaned children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) following the recent execution of Kapampangan OFW Joselito Zapanta.
The CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP–ECMI) said it is looking into “the possibility of supporting the education of the children of OFWs who died abroad.”
It could be remembered that Zapanta, 35, was convicted for killing Sudanese Imam Ibrahim, with robbery, on April 13, 2010 by the Riyadh Grand Court. He was sentenced to death by beheading after the family of the victim refused to execute an Affidavit of Forgiveness or Tanazul in exchange for blood money.
“Our dream is for the ECMI to have the capacity and enough resources to support the education from elementary to college of the orphaned children of our OFWs,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos, ECMI chairman.
The prelate said OFWs leave the country to provide and sustain the education of their children.
“The Church as mother will guide and take the responsibilities. Our goal is to establish a foundation that will offer scholarships,” Santos said.
The bishop earlier called on the government to use the “blood money” for OFW Jose Zapanta in helping the family he left behind.
The bishop has urged that the portion of the P23-million blood money raised to supposedly save Joselito be used for the latter’s children.
Blood money is compensation under Shariah Law that is given to the family of murder victims. Should they accept it, the family will execute an affidavit of forgiveness so that death penalty will not be carried out on the accused.
rThe victim’s family had demanded P55-million blood money in exchange for Zapanta’s freedom, but only P23 million was raised for the OFW. The money is currently in a bank account opened by the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia.