Victim's kin gagged! Conejos lying

Press Release
18 October 2008

Victim's kin gagged:
Conejos lying through his teeth -- Migrante

Migrante International today lambasted DFA Undersecretary for Migrants Affairs Esteban Conejos for lying to his teeth regarding the case of OFW Jenifer Beduya a.k.a. Venancio Ladion who was beheaded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last October 14, 2008.

"Conejos, up to this moment, is saying that they did all their best to save the life of Jenifer but the victim's family is saying otherwise," according to Migrante spokesperson Garry Martinez.

Martinez said Jenifer told his uncle Eleno Torejas before he was executed that he never had a lawyer to defend him and attend to his legal needs.

Martinez also slammed the DFA and a certain case officer Atty. Ruel Garcia for gagging the family to seek assistance from the media and/or any migrants' organization.

Torejas said that in 2006, Garcia told them that 'everything is under control and nothing to worry about' the case of Jenifer.

"Sinabihan niya kami na matagal pa ang proseso ng pagbitay sa pamangkin ko, aabutin daw ng lima o sampung taon pa. Sila daw ang bahala, basta huwag kami lalapit sa media o sa Migrante," Torejas said.

But on Tuesday Torejas and his relatives were shocked after hearing that Jenifer was executed. Jenifer was sentenced to death for killing his employer but Torejas said it was in self-defense.

"Ang akala namin, sila ang bahala. Kampante kami tapos ganito pala ang mangyayari" said Torejas.

"Obviously, the government's storyline on its efforts to save the life of Beduya is a fiction. And the same can happen to other OFWs on death row like the Gonzales brothers also in Jeddah and Armia Panaglima in Taiwan," Martinez said.

Kin of Panaglima believe she was not given due process before she was sentenced to death. Panaglima was sentenced to death by firing squad for killing a Taiwan national in 2006. But she never admitted the crime and said she was framed-up.

Her sister Rosalinda Armia Pisueña believed Panaglima did not kill anybody.

"Hindi niya ho iyon magagawa. Mabait ho iyan at takot na gumawa ng anumang kasalanan lalo na at nandoon pa siya sa ibang bansa," she added.

"Enough is enough. Conejos must resign," said Martinez.

Martinez said Migrante together with families of all OFW victims will hold a prayer gathering on Sunday to pray for justice for all victims of criminal neglect of the Arroyo government to the migrants of criminal neglect of the Arroyo government to the migrants.

For Reference:
Garry Martinez, Spokesperson
Migrante International
Tel No.: 0921-7229740