MANILA: The Philippines said yesterday it is seeking help from Sudan to commute the death sentence of an overseas Filipino worker facing execution in Saudi Arabia.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said officials were trying to contact the family of the Sudanese man killed by labourer Joselito Zapanta in Saudi Arabia in 2009. Zapanta was given until November 3 to raise more than $1m to pay the family of the Sudanese landlord he killed in a rent dispute.
“There has been no (Saudi) response to our letters so we are trying to get to the family of the victim and do this (through) the Sudan ambassador,” in Saudi Arabia, Del Rosario said. He did not say if there had been any word about Zapanta after the deadline passed. Under Saudi law, “blood money” must be paid to the victim’s family before a convict can be spared. About 45m pesos is needed to save Zapanta but so far only 5m pesos ($116,000) has been raised, del Rosario said.
He said Manila would ask the family to agree to a lower amount or to an extension of the period to raise money. Zapanta was due to be executed last November but his execution has been pushed back several times so that the money can be raised.
22 nabbed in Cebu den raid
MANILA: Anti-narcotics agents have arrested 22 people, including a suspected drug den operator, during a raid on an alleged drug hub in Cebu, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said yesterday. PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr said the operation on the drug den in Brgy Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu last October 31 came after a undercover agent bought from suspected drug den operator Joepit Cabriana, 25, a sachet of shabu. Cacdac said among those arrested inside the drug den were seven minors.
Fair to offer 5,600 jobs
MANILA: A job fair by the Makati Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will offer on Friday some 5,600 jobs to jobseekers from Makati and from other parts of Metro Manila. Makati PESO manager and City Personnel Officer Vissia Marie Aldon said the fair will be held from 8am to 4pm at the Bonifacio Monument in the Makati Park and Garden along JP Rizal Extension in Brgy West Rembo.
Agencies
