A Saudi national is ready to shoulder a SAR100,000 (P1.3 million) penalty to release a Filipina languishing in a Jeddah jail and pave the way for her repatriation.
According GMA News, Abdulaziz Khamees told Consul RJ Sumague of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah that he was willing to pay the penalty to free Junevie San Juan, who was arrested on October 9, 2013, a few days after her arrival in the Kingdom to work as dental assistant.
Junevie, who hails from Bicol, was convicted on drug smuggling charges and was sentenced to three years in jail. She, however, denied the allegation, insisting that she was a victim of a drug-smuggling syndicate operating in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Sumague announced that Junevie could be released from jail as she has already served her sentence, but she needed to pay 100,000 Saudi Riyals before she could be released.
Believing in Junevie’s innocence of the case, Abdulaziz last December talked to her parents while they were on an arranged visit to Jeddah.
“Tutulungan ko siya dahil lumalabas na siya ay biktima,” Abdulaziz told Junevie’s parents.
Sumague thanked Abdulaziz for his unconditional help.
“Nagpapasalamat ako na may tutulong kay Junive at mas magiging masaya ang kanyang magulang sa tulong na ipaaabot ni Abdulaziz,” Sumague said.
Abdulaziz’ message to Junevie’s parents: “Walang problema po tutulugan ko kayo huwag kayo mag-alala.”