Manila: A former death row convict refused an offer by Saudi Arabia to stay in the kingdom and chose to return home to the Philippines to be with his family.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Dante Altizo, 36, was expected to return to the Philippines on Thursday. The DFA said the Filipino had an option to remain in the kingdom after he had converted to Islam during his incarceration.
Altizo was sentenced to death by a Saudi court for stabbing his Filipino roommate to death during an altercation at their company accommodation in Al Bahah, a region located around 400km away from Jeddah.
Altizo admitted to the crime and served almost six years in prison during which time he embraced Islam and took the name ‘Ebrahim’. He contracted tuberculosis in prison, but recovered.
Charitable people then paid blood money of 400,000 Saudi riyals, freeing Altizo of legal liabilities in connection with the murder case.
Altizo contracted tuberculosis and pneumonia in 2013 soon after a charitable institution in the kingdom paid the blood money for him.
Another Filipino, a fellow inmate convinced jail guards to immediately give Altizo medical care and to contact the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah.
The DFA said that with his release from Saudi Arabia’s prison, Altizo had escaped almost certain death twice.
“The life of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on death row was spared twice: First, from the threat of tuberculosis while in prison, and second when he exited a Saudi jail a free man after charitable hearts paid his blood money,” the DFA said.
Altizo was brought to a special medical facility in Taif and in February this year, Consulate General representatives found him on the road to full recovery.
“The Philippine consulate-general in Jeddah in coordination with Saudi authorities provided legal and other forms of assistance to Altizo, the Filipino victim, and their families in the Philippines, beginning with the investigation and trial, and up to the settlement of the blood money and Altizo’s subsequent release. The Department of Foreign Affairs provided lawyers to Altizo through the Legal Assistance Fund,” the DFA said.
