Jeanelyn Villavende family rejects P50-million ‘blood money’

The family of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende has turned down the P50-million blood money offered by her Kuwaiti employer who was accused of killing the Filipino domestic helper in Kuwait.

Nelly Padernal, auntie of Jeanelyn Villavende, said Jeanelyn’s father, Abelardo Villavende rejected the P50-million blood money offered by the victim’s Kuwaiti employer as settlement for the criminal charges which stemmed from the killing of Jeanelyn in Kuwait last December 28.

“Our family wants justice for the killing of Jeanelyn,”Padernal said.

She said personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) came to Norala, South Cotabato last Thursday to attend the burial of Jeanelyn, and asked thevictim’s father, Abelardo to a sign a document which purportedly indicated a settlement of the case in exchange for P50 million.

Padernal said Jeanelyn’s employer should be meted with death penalty for killing Jeanelyn whose remains showed signs of severe physical beatings and sexual abuse before she was killed.

“We cannot accept the manner she was killed,” Padernal said.

Villavende’s death had prompted the government to impose a total deployment of OFW in Kuwait.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III had earlier ordered the total deployment ban of OFW in Kuwait following the tragic incident that befell Villavende.

Bello was also the one who asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct an autopsy on the victim’s remains as he cast doubts on the autopsy report issued by Kuwaiti authorities.

On the other hand, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday said he would reject of any offer of blood money for the death of overseas Filipina worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende, who was allegedly raped and beaten to death by her employers in Kuwait.

“I renounce and reject any offer of blood money for her torture/murder. I want two lives for the life they took,” Locsin said on Twitter.

Locsin said that the “topnotch lawyer” hired by the foreign affairs department is also not authorized to suggest or accept blood money.