Delays in the OFW from release prison causing unbearable anxiety for family and co.OFW friends

News item : Family, rights group question PH embassy on delays in Lanuza’s release - See more at: http://www.manilachannel.com/2013/07/21/family-rights-group-question-ph-embassy-on-delays-in-lanuzas-release/?post_id=13996&search_category&search_label&author&no_redirect=true

According to John Leonard Monterona, Vice Chairmamn of Migrante and Coordinator of Migrante Middle East-NorthAfrica, designated spokesman and counselor of Mr. Lanuza since 2008, he accompanied Lanuza’s grandmother and his cousin Jennie Vee Villanueva on Monday, July 15, to the DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) “to seek a clarification on the status of Lanuza’s case and his supposed release.”

In August 15, 2000 – Rodelio ‘Dondon’ Lanuza defended himself from his aggressor that resulted on the accidental death of a Saudi national. The Saudi Reconciliation Committee (SRC), a quasi-govt. agency, initiated in December, 2008, a reconciliation initiative between both parties, Lanuza and the aggrieved Saudi family, to explore the acceptance of blood money by the latter in exchange of forgiveness to Lanuza. Lanuza family and relatives, Migrante’s John Leonard Monterona, and other OFW volunteers and groups around the world, launched in August 2011 Lanuza Fund raising campaign for his blood money dubbed as “Barya Mo, BuhayKo”. US-based Ms. Nicolas Lewis and her group joined the campaign.

Blood money was completed inJanuary 2013, after the Saudi King shouldered, for humanitarian consideration, the 2.5-M rials out of the total 3-M rials blood money. SRC informed Lanuza in May 23, 2013 that the father of the Saudi family already received the blood money and that the father already signed the Affidavit of Forgiveness (Tanazul) for Lanuza. The Philippine embassy letter dated July 10, 2013 informed Lanuza, citing SRC information, that the Dammam High Court judge is ‘still waiting for one heir to sign the Tanazul’ executed in court.

Monterona criticized the Philippine embassy for its gross negligence, for failure to ensure that the Tanazul is properly done amid submission of the completed amount of blood money to the Saudi family that causes further delay to Dondon’s eventual release and deportation.

These delays has been causing severe anxieties on the family of Celestino 'Dondon' Lanuza, who has already prepared a warm home welcoming for him in anticipation of his return only to be disapointed, and to the world community of OFWs who expect that justice will at last be served for Dondon.


##