Filipino death row prisoner sees end of ordeal

The 13-year ordeal of a Filipino death row prisoner is nearing its end after he received notification that the family of his victim has waived all future legal rights against him, Arab News has learned.
This means that there can no longer be any possible court action against him and that the Dammam governorate has to issue the final release order. This could see him walk free within a month. He is currently being held in Dammam Prison in the Eastern Province.
The requested blood money of SR 3 million has already been paid to the victim’s family. Of this amount, SR 2.3 million was paid by the Saudi government after an order was issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in January.
Arab News has received confirmation that Rodelio Celestino “Dondon” Lanuza received a text message from a government official at 2 p.m. yesterday saying that the Saudi family of his victim has issued a tanazul, or legal waiver.
Following the publication of his plight in Arab News earlier this week, Lanuza informed Arab News that he received the text message in Arabic which said: “Peace and mercy upon you, a waiver has been signed by the family for Isa.” Isa is Lanuza’s Muslim name.
Arab News then spoke to a source in contact with the government official, who said: “In Saudi Arabia, if you secure a waiver from the immediate family, the execution is abolished.”
The source added: “Now that we have the waiver, we have to take this to the governorate’s office (amarah) to finalize his release. That may take less than one month.”
Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago, who was contacted yesterday, said: “We have to verify the news with authorities.”
Arab News reported earlier this week that Lanuza was still waiting for a hearing at the Dammam High court before he could be released. This hearing is no longer necessary now that the waiver has been issued by the victim’s family.
Lanuza sent messages to Arab News yesterday thanking the newspaper for highlighting his case. He said he would be sending copies of the report to Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis, a businesswoman who helped raise funds for his release.
Lanuza also disclosed that a Yemeni incarcerated in Dammam is also scheduled for release after a waiver was issued for him.
Arab News has been working with the Philippine Embassy to get Lanuza released for months, having sent letters on April 14, 21 and 30 this year to various government agencies highlighting his case.
Lanuza was pardoned by the victim’s family almost three years ago.
He had been active in trying to gain his freedom by sending letters via Arab News and through this reporter to fellow Filipinos and members of the royal family, including Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Manila, Abdullah Al-Hassan.
In September last year, an international nongovernmental organization with goodwill ambassadors in 193 countries around the world had asked the people of Saudi Arabia to help free him.
Many Filipinos have campaigned to save his life using networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.