Time is running short for an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) currently on death row in Alkhobar as the deadline for the payment of blood money draws close.

Joselito Zapanta, a Filipino expatriate who used to work as a tile-setter in the Kingdom, was convicted of murder when he took the life of his Sudanese rent collector in 2009. Records stated that the suspect appealed for self-defense, however his plea was rebutted and he was sentenced to death at a local court in 2012.

The victim’s family originally gave Zapanta until Mar. 12, 2013 to settle the SR4.3 million in blood money. The deadline for the payment of blood money was extended three times, until Nov. 3 was set as a final date.

The victim’s family also agreed to lower the blood money to SR4 million.

Zapanta’s family has managed to raise SR520,831 to date, which still falls below the required blood money.

Various government and non-government organizations have provided assistance to Zapanta.

The Philippine government, through Jejomar Binay, vice president and presidential adviser of OFW Concerns, has been doing his best to help Zapanta since the case came to his attention.

Binay held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah over the matter.

He also appealed to Filipino nationals to help raise the blood money as soon as possible in his statement on Friday.

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh also tried to help but reiterated, “Most of the actions must come from the Philippine government itself since the embassy has limited power and authority when it comes to such cases.”

Riyadh and Philippine-based organizations are also providing assistance to the suspect but are suffering due to limited resources.

“We wish to help Zapanta, but there is little we can do other than ask for the support of our fellow OFWs,” Alex Bello, president of the Riyadh-based OFW Congress, told Arab News. “I’m afraid we just have to leave this matter to the Philippine government since they have the power to solve these kinds of cases,” he added.

John Leonard Monterona, MIGRANTE-Middle East and North America coordinator, addressed the Philippine government in a statement released on Friday.

“We are calling on President Aquino to donate a considerable amount toward Zapanta’s blood money. He can take it from his billions of special purpose funds. We also have a standing call to President Aquino to allocate funds for immediate repatriation and to pay for immigration penalties and documentation for more than 4,000 stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia,” Monterona told a Philippine-based news agency.

“While we call on fellow OFWs to donate toward the blood money owed by Zapanta, the responsibility to raise an amount for Zapanta’s blood money, as well as any other assistance being sought, is at the hand of the Aquino administration,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zapanta’s family is hoping that he will return to the Philippines and reunite with them.

Zapanta’s case is the second major death row incident in the Kingdom after Don Don Lanuza.

The Philippine government and Filipino communities are racing against time with hopes of saving the distressed Joselito Zapanta.