OFW executed in Saudi thought he was to be freed
Beheaded overseas Filipino worker Jenifer Bedoya had hoped for his release until his final moments.
According to his aunt Maricor Torejas Rebadomia, Bedoya’s cellmates said her nephew was overjoyed with the thought that he was about to be released.
“Seven o’ clock daw sila nagkita. Eight o’ clock daw siya ilalabas. Akala niya, lalaya na siya, yun pala, ibang paglaya ang mangyayari sa kanya,” said Rebadomia.
Bedoya was convicted of murder in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and was executed Tuesday despite appeals made by the Philippine government.
The death sentence was affirmed by the Tameez Court (Appellate Court) and the Supreme Judicial Council (Supreme Court) on 21 April 2008, despite appeals filed by the lawyer hired by the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah to represent Bidoya before the Emir of Makkah, the Governor of Jeddah, and the Minister of Interior.
After graduating from high school, then 19-year-old Bedoya left for Manila and worked in a restaurant in Sampaloc, Manila before trying his luck abroad.
For Agustina Entrina, who served as his guardian while staying in a condemned building in Manila, he and his family should have been given the chance to talk before he was executed.
Sent money even in detention
As a breadwinner, Bedoya continued to help his family back home even when in detention.
“Ganyan po siya magalala sa mga kapatid at nanay niya. Minsan po, sabi niya naglalabada siya doon sa loob. Minsan po, naghihilot po siya para lang magkapera, padala sa nanay niya,” Rebadomia said.
The family blames the government for its failure to save their kin.
“Pumunta siya agad ng embahada, wala pong tumulong sa kanya. Ang sinabi lang po sa kanya, magtago ka. Pwede po ba yun?” she said.
Don't talk to media
In December 2005, Bidoya’s aunt Laila Cataluna was asked by the Department of Foreign Affairs to sign an “undertaking” preventing her from divulging confidential information about her nephew’s case to the public.
Under the signed document, the family would “not divulge the confidential information provided to me by the DFA; to keep in strict confidentiality the information I received from the DFA; to coordinate any information I may receive from other sources with the DFA; and, be accountable to whatever acts I may do in violation with the strict confidentiality of the case.”
“Ang sabi sa akin ni Atty. Garcia noon na huwag na muna isiwalat kung kani-kanino man, lalo na sa media. Ang nangyari pala, hanggang sa pagpugot ng ulo, talaga nga namang confidential,” said Cataluna.
The Bedoya family also sought the help of Malacañang, who promised to provide assistance to the OFW. Malacañang also requested the family not to pass on information about Bedoya’s case to the media.
“Ang hiling nila, huwag ipaalam sa media. Nirespeto namin yun. Malaki po ang pagsisisi namin, sa totoo lang,” his uncle Gaudencio Torejas said.
No lawyer?
Bedoya had told his family about his disappointment with the DFA who failed to provide him with a lawyer.
“Napakalaking hinanakit niya po dahil parang pinababayaan siya. Simula't-sapul, hanggang nahatulan siya, wala siyang sariling abogado. Parang pinabayaan po siya,” Rebadomia added.
For its part, the DFA maintained it did everything it could to save Bedoya, but the death sentence was carried out because the victim’s family declined to forgive him.
Meanwhile, DFA Executive Director Crescente Relacion could not recall having asked the family to sign the document to keep the case confidential.
“When the case is pending in court, it would be subjudice to discuss the merits of the case. We told them that it would be better if you do not discuss the details of the case,” Relacion said. -- Reports from Ces Drilon, TV Patrol World
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