Migrant Group Urges Gov’t to Ask for Reinvestigation of the Cases of OFWs

Published on November 24, 2008

When the relatives arrived at the DFA though, the security guard assigned at the main gate of the DFA relayed a message from the office of Conejos that the DFA official was out of town and that Crescente Relacion, executive director of the Office of the Undersecretary on Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) was in a meeting.

Garry Martinez chairperson of Migrante International insisted that they be allowed to talk to any of the DFA officials. After almost two hours of waiting, Relacion finally agreed to face them.

Asking OFWs to admit to crimes they did not commit

Norie, sister of the Gonzales brothers, asked Relacion about the status of the appeal for clemency for her two brothers, which was supposedly transmitted by Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Saudi prince.

It was reported in the news that President Arroyo asked for a commutation of the sentence of the Gonzales brothers during a meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on interfaith dialogue in New York last Nov. 13.

Relacion read to them the letter of President Arroyo to the Sultan. But, contrary to news reports, President Arroyo’s letter turned out to be a mere a request for dialogue with the Saudi prince.

Relacion also told Norie to ask her brothers to just admit to the crime and ask for forgiveness. When Norie asked if her brothers would be freed if they do that, Relacion only said, “[There's] no guarantee.”

Norie said that they were also told that blood money should be paid to the victims’ families in order to complete the requirement for clemency.

But Norie related her most recent phone conversation with her brothers in which they told her, “We are innocent. We have nothing to apologize for. We are ready to die fighting for the truth rather than to admit to crimes we did not commit.”

Norie said she herself would not admit to a crime she did not commit.

Migrante’s Martinez said, “This is outrageous! First and foremost, the three OFWs were tortured during interrogation. Why is the Arroyo administration trying to persuade them to admit to the crimes they have not committed?”

Martinez added the DFA officials were aware of the fact that the accused OFWs were tortured. DFA officials were even informed that Rolando Gonzales and Eduardo Arcilla were hospitalized while undergoing interrogation.

Clueless

Relacion told Rosalinda, Alcaraz’s sister, that the DFA has not obtained a copy of the court proceedings and that they have no update on her case.

Malou Tamayo, sister of De Padua said they had been trying to get the help of the DFA since they were informed that De Padua has been detained. Tamayo said nobody from the DFA talked to them thus, they decided to seek Migrante’s assistance.

Tolentino, father of De Padua, said they only want to know if his son has a lawyer and a doctor. Tolentino said they were informed that his son is sick. “Nag-aalala kami sa anak ko. Umalis sya rito nang maayos tapos mababalitaan naming ganito nangyari sa kanya. Two months pa lang sya nasa Jeddah.” (We are worried about my son. He was healthy when he left, and suddenly we got news about what happened to him. He has been in Jeddah for only two months.)

Relacion said the DFA has no record yet of the case of De Padua. Relacion even asked the family of De Padua to submit a letter of request to the DFA.

Hope

Norie said that the due to pressures from Migrante and their family, the government has started to act on the case of her sister. She said that her sister was finally provided with a lawyer last October 28.

Meanwhile, the two young daughters of Rolando Gonzales Diana, 23, and Lani, 19, also went with the group that trooped to the DFA. Lani said, “Uuwi si tatay ngayong pasko, makakasama namin sila kasi wala namang pinatay ang tatay ko.” (My father will go home for Christmas, he will be with us because he did not kill any one.)

Rosalinda conveyed the following message to her sister: “Umasa ka na gagawin namin ang lahat para sa kaso mo, lakasan mo ang iyong loob, ilalaban natin ang kaso mo sa tulong ng Migrante, ng media at iba pa na tumutulong sa amin para sa kaso mo.” (Rest assured that we would do everything for your case. Be brave, we would fight for your case with the help of Migrante, the media, and all the others who have been supporting us.)

Migrante called on the Arroyo government to ask for the reinvestigation of the cases of OFWs in death row as well as those who continue to languish in jail.

“Give them justice not clemency,” said Martinez.(Bulatlat.com)

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