http://www.sunstar.com.ph/By Virgil B. Lopez
Saturday, December 13, 2014
MANILA (Updated) -- Vice President Jejomar Binay said Saturday that he got confirmation from the Philippine Embassay in Riyadh that overseas Filipino worker Carlito Lana was beheaded Friday morning.
“We regret to announce that our countryman Carito Lana was beheaded in Saudi Arabia yesterday morning. It was confirmed by the Philippine embassy today,†Binay, presidential adviser on OFW concerns, said in a press statement.
Citing initial reports from the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Binay said Lana was taken from his cell around 9:30 a.m. Friday in Saudi Arabia and was executed.
Lana was found guilty for the murder of his employer, a 65-year-old Saudi national.
"Lana shot his victim then tried to flee using his victim’s car and in doing so ran over the latter’s head," said Binay, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFW) concerns.
He said the Saudi government does not give prior notice to prisoners and their foreign embassies of execution dates. Notices are only sent after the execution.
An embassy report said Lana claimed that his employer was a good man and they had good relations, but he was being pressured to pray during Muslim prayer time.
Binay said based on reports from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Lana’s lawyer tried several times but failed to convince the victim’s son to meet Lana’s mother and receive her letter asking for forgiveness.
Aquino also wrote a letter to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz requesting the Saudi monarch’s intercession in convincing the heirs of the victim to enter into an amicable settlement, but the family did not issue an affidavit of forgiveness, which is needed under Saudi law to prevent an execution.
Binay said he is waiting for an official report from the Philippine Embassay in Riyadh on the execution.
He has also asked the DFA to provide him an update on the cases of other jailed Filipinos where the victim’s heirs have not issued affidavits of forgiveness. (PNA/Sunnex)
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