New hope for OFW on death row Dondon Lanuza
By Monica Feria, Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 15, 2012

 Fate and luck may finally be working in favor of overseas Filipino worker Rodelio “Dondon” Lanuza, who has been on death row in Damman, Saudi Arabia for the past 11 years. His tireless internet campaign for justice and assistance has caught the attention of a Filipino-American businesswoman and philanthropist, Loida Nicolas Lewis—as well as a Saudi prince whose identity remains a mystery.

Thirty-seven year old Lanuza, who has always maintained that his killing of a Saudi man in 2000 was an act of self-defense, was finally forgiven by the aggrieved family last February 2011. But he has so far been unable to raise the hefty P35 million (3 million rials or over $800,000) “blood money” required for his freedom.

Quezon City-raised Lanuza, an architecture student from the Manuel L. Quezon University, has been storming virtual heaven through online social networking sites for many months trying to raise the amount. But at the end of last year, friends and supporters of Lanuza had raised only $13,000 or barely two percent of the amount needed to give him a second chance at life. A desperate appeal to President Benigno Aquino last year has not gotten an encouraging response.

But new blessings might—just might—shine on Lanuza this year.

Last December, retail magnate Lewis joined the condemned OFW’s mother, Letty Lanuza, in a press conference in New York, reinvigorating the campaign to raise the blood money requirement by February, which marks one year since the pardon was offered.

Lewis has since revealed in a phone interview with the Inquirer that a Saudi prince, whose identity she will keep a mystery for the moment, has offered to match, dollar-for-dollar, the money that Lewis and Lanuza’s mother raise.

“I don’t want to mention his (the Saudi prince’s ) name yet,” Lewis said. Let’s see first how much money we can raise on our own. “But I can tell you this, he is a member of the Saudi royal family who has been very generous through the years in helping Filipinos, particularly in Mindanao.”
The campaign should be able to show a substantial effort and ground swell for Dondon’s cause.

Will gov’t contribute?

Lewis will fly to Manila next week to seriously push the fundraising campaign (www.helpdondon.com). She is hoping the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, of which Lanuza was once a member, will also contribute a substantial amount.

TWO MOTHERS Fil-Am businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis joined Lanuza’s mother Letty in a press conference in New York last month to reinvigorate the fund drive that could bring Dondon home.

When contracted, DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said a technical committee headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay was “still discussing” the issue of blood money for jailed OFWs. Their recommendations will be submitted to the President.

Read full article @ globalnation.inquirer.net