By Josine Estuye
MANILA, (PNA) -– Vice President Jejomar confirmed Tuesday that jailed overseas Filipino worker Joselito Zapanta’s family has yet to complete the needed blood money to save him from execution next month.
According to the vice president, the OFW’s family needs more time to secure the required blood money, amounting to SAR 4 million or P45 million.
As of now, Binay said the family of Zapanta has secured only half of the needed money.
“Nagkukulang pa tayo ng malaki diyan, umaabot pa ng P27 million pa yata iyon,” he said, during an interview at the Manila Hotel
Zapanta has the deadline to settle the demands of his victim’s heirs on Nov 3, 2013.
In line with this, Binay once again appealed to the public to pray, and if possible help in raising the blood money needed to save the OFW.
“Pagtulung tulungan natin, ipanalangin natin na sana bigyan pa tayo ng extension at sana babaan ang halaga (blood money),” he said.
Zapanta worked in Saudi Arabi as a tile setter in 2007 to support his parents and two children.
He was sentenced to death for killing his landlord’s accountant, a Sudanese national, as well as stealing SAR 3,000.00 and two mobile phones.
His death sentence was scheduled last March, but Saudi King gave his family another 6-month extension or until November to raise funds to be given to the victim’s heirs.