The Rally from Behind

Filipinos love it when they see their favorite basketball team rally from behind and win the championship trophy. They cheer to high heavens when they see their boxing idol stand from a fall; attack the opponent with a series of left and right hooks, until the trend of the game is reversed and their idol wins by another TKO. This exciting part of an event is known among sports aficionados as the last two-minute rally. We witness this not only in sports but also in our daily routine; we see this among the nursing graduates of the Cordilleras who ignore the burning heat of the sun or cold evening breeze as they tirelessly stand at the kilometer-long queue waiting for their turn to submit their application papers for the June board exams; we see this among students and among government officials; and, yes, we also see this among fellow overseas Filipinos.

About seven weeks prior to her scheduled execution on May 27, 2007, the story of Sarah Jane Dematera hit the various overseas Filipino e-groups. Calls for her release were drummed up by various overseas Filipino organizations in Canada, the US, Middle East and even those back home. Some groups sought for donations for the needed blood-money; some called the attention of senators and congressmen; some urged the President to release the funds needed to secure the release; and some even called on the First Gentleman, a known supporter of OFW cause, to pitch in.

Towards the end of last week, barely two weeks after the overseas Filipino communities made noise, we were greeted with the good news that Sarah Dematera was finally released from jail. That was a pleasant surprise.

But the release of Sarah, surprising as it may, came only after she spent fifteen of her younger years in a prison cell in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. All through those 15 years, very little was heard of her case, if any. Perhaps one of the few organizations that diligently followed up the case of Sarah was Amnesty International. Its documentation of Sarah’s case provided the Filipino community with vital information. It was also Amnesty International that gave Sarah supply of books, reading of which was one way that kept her busy.

Through all those years the Department of Foreign Affairs has also undertaken several missions to secure Sarah’s freedom. One person who worked very closely with the case was Undersecretary Rafael Seguis. Yet the finality of those missions came only a few weeks before Sarah’s scheduled execution. So what contributed to the big push from behind which ended with the Philippine mission not only winning Sarah’s freedom, but winning it much earlier than expected?

In Saudi Arabia, if one is found guilty of killing another person, he/she may only be released after serving his/her prison term and after the immediate family members of his/her victim have forgiven him/her. Those two conditions must be met before an accused could be released.

But forgiveness does not usually come without a price. In the case of Sarah it was given at a cost of 2.0 million Saudi riyals, or about 25.3 million pesos. Sarah will not live to earn that amount; and it will take months, if not years, to raise the amount through donations from overseas Filipinos. The only way to raise the money quickly was through the sponsorship of no less than the Philippine government.

The full amount of the ‘blood money’ was received by the court on April 25, 2007, from no less than Philippine ambassador Antonio Villamor himself. Four days later the court ordered the case closed.

Under normal circumstances it would take at least another month to complete all required administrative procedures before Sarah could be released from jail. But Ambassador Villamor took an extra step and went personally to the governor of the Eastern Province, Prince Muhammad Bin Adulaziz Al Saud, to ask that Sarah be released to the custody of the Philippine embassy while the administrative procedures are being completed. Where other diplomats would have just sent a note verbal, Ambassador Villamor did it with a personal touch; and the good Prince just can not refuse.

Sarah is now staying at the embassy while waiting for her flight back to the Philippines. For sure she will have plenty of stories to share when she is finally home.

The crowds cheered when their team was losing concentration during the last two minutes of play. When their point guard finally led the team on a rally from behind and won the game, the crowds were no longer there for the toast.