(MENAFN- Arab Times) Joseph Urbiztondo, a Filipino who has been in jail for 16 years and the longest serving Filipino in the Kuwait Central Jail in Sulaibiya after being sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a Bangladeshi national in July 1996, has written a letter to Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay, appealing for help to be given a new lease on life by helping him secure a tanazul (letter of forgiveness) from the family of his victim.
Urbiztondo, 41, a native of Bacoor, Cavite in the Philippines was arrested by authorities on July 6, 1996 for allegedly killing a Bangladeshi national and was later on sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.
"Dear Sir, I am writing to you and knocking on your kind heart to please help me," wrote Urbiztondo in the letter written in Filipino dated June 22, 2012 that was handed to the Arab Times on Monday. Urbiztondo is bringing his case to Philippine Vice President Binay who is the current Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs.
"I am the only Filipino who has served the longest time in the Kuwait Central Jail. It's been 16 years now and I want to start a new life and go back to the Philippines to my family," wrote Urbiztondo.
Urbiztondo mentioned in his letter to Binay that for him to gain his freedom he needs a tanazul or a letter of forgiveness from the family of the victim in Bangladesh and to obtain that tanazul requires the payment of dia or blood money amounting to KD 6,000 as informed by his Kuwaiti lawyer, Ahmad Qurban.
The Arab Times spoke with Atty Ahmed Qurban who in turn confirmed the amount of the blood money needed for the tanazul. "Yes, he needs KD 6,000 for the tanazul and I have already informed the Philippine Embassy about this several years back. Once that amount is secured by the Philippine Embassy, then I can contact the victim's family through the Bangladeshi Embassy here in Kuwait and we can start the process needed for Joseph's pardon and release," explained Qurban who stressed that under the Kuwait law, Urbiztondo is now qualified to apply for an Amiri pardon with the supporting tanazul.
Urbiztondo stated in his letter to Binay that when he was arrested and jailed in 1996, Philippine Ambassador Shulan Primavera was the head of the Philippine mission here and three more Ambassadors succeeded the post namely Sukarno Tanggol, Bayani Mangibin and Ricardo Endaya, however, Urbiztondo lamented that nothing had happened. "Now, Ambassador Shulan Primavera is back to the post for the second time and I'm still here in jail. Please Ambassador Primavera, have pity on me," he appealed in his letter.
On the part of the Philippine Embassy, Dalidig Ibrahim Tanandato, the Head of the Assistance to Nationals Unit at the Philippine Embassy outlined to the Arab Times on Monday that the embassy has never been remiss in its duty in following up the case of Urbiztondo.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs has no budget for the payment of the blood money but we're trying to find ways on how to help Urbiztondo," stressed Tanandato who also happened to be the case officer of Urbiztondo in 1996 and now is back in Kuwait for the second time.
He cited that the embassy has included the name of Urbiztondo in the list of Filipino inmates that the Philippine Embassy submitted for Amiri Pardon this year.
"We have written a note verbale addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting for the issuance of executive clemency or pardon for Urbiztondo, however, he was not among those pardoned this year. We will not stop and we will try our best to help Urbiztondo," pointed out Tanandato.
Urbiztondo stated in his letter that he also asked for help from former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Senator Manuel Villar Jr, but nothing also happened with his appeal for help.
"The embassy has been always saying that they have been writing so many letters all these years and 16 years has passed and yet nothing happened, Sometimes, I can't help but think that maybe if I were given a death sentence, then maybe, the Philippine government will help me out in my case just like those cases of Filipinos on the death row wherein the Philippine government spent thousands of dinars as compared to the amount that I'm requesting," he lamented.
Ending his letter to the Philippine Vice President, Urbiztondo expressed utmost optimism that Binay who has a soft spot for OFWs will help him in his case. "Sir, honorable Vice President Jejomar Binay. I hope you will be able to read my letter so I can finally be freed. I am appealing to you with all my heart. I hope you can help me in attaining the freedom that I have been longing for," he concluded.
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