RIYADH, 24 February 2005 — The best-known Filipino inmate in Riyadh’s Malaz jail who had been convicted for killing a Nepalese co-worker, is now a free man.
Primo Gasmen, a 35-year-old native of Pangasinan province in the northern Philippines was sent home Tuesday night, almost four years after he was sentenced to prison for killing Kim Gurong, his colleague at Saudi Contracting Establishment in 1998. He had been in jail since May of 2001.
Vice Consul Romulo Israel Jr. said Gasmen could only utter thank you as he boarded Philippines Airlines PR 659 flight to Manila.
Israel said Gasmen stood firm on his claim that he acted on self-defense when Gurong demanded sex to repay a loan. During his trial, Gasmen told the court that in the altercation that ensued, Gurong pulled a knife but Gasmen managed to turn it against him "accidentally."
The court convicted Gasmen but the Filipino community in Hong Kong, responding to a fund-raising drive initiated by People’s Tonight and the Department of Foreign Affairs, raised $15,000 in "blood money” required by the court for his freedom
Israel said other groups and individuals also contributed to the fund, including a Charismatic group in Manila and the Bicol Saro.
In late 2003, the mother of Gurong, together with a nephew, came to Saudi Arabia to confirm in court that the family had accepted the blood money, or diyah, and had forgiven the accused. But it took over a year for Gasmen to be set free because of the long bureaucratic procedure in securing clearances, exit visa, among others, from various government agencies.
Gasmen’s release brought the number of Filipino inmates at Malaz to 17, according to members of a community organization helping jailed compatriots. Three of these inmates were convicted of murder, just like Gasmen and Saturnino Urbano, also from Pangasinan, who was freed and sent home on Jan. 5 after serving his sentence for more than a decade for killing four fellow Filipinos in 1994.
Israel said the embassy is also seeking the early release of the remaining murder inmates — Sabiano Yncierto, Alfredo Barroga, and Reynaldo Cortez — whose sentence has been reduced to 10 from 15 years after the Ramadan season. The other cases range from embezzlement to making or distributing liquor.
Israel said he and other embassy officials are hoping that the number of Filipinos in jail would not increase anymore.
“The embassy would like to remind our kababayan to refrain from personal disputes, and try to resolve their differences amicably, and be friendly to everyone,” he appealed.
He added that the embassy is always willing to listen to problems and help resolve them. He encouraged every Filipino to contact the embassy at (01) 4823559.
