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Pardoned OFW from Bahrain comes home, reunites with family

By Lade Jean Kabagani

June 11, 2020, 4:19 pm

<p><strong>HOME AT LAST.</strong> Pardoned OFW from Bahrain, Roderick Aguinaldo (left), reunites with his family in Caloocan City on June 10, 2020. He was convicted for the death of a foreign national, was sentenced to death penalty until his subsequent pardon and release from prison as a result of the efforts of the Philippine government.<em> (Contributed photo)</em></p>

HOME AT LAST. Pardoned OFW from Bahrain, Roderick Aguinaldo (left), reunites with his family in Caloocan City on June 10, 2020. He was convicted for the death of a foreign national, was sentenced to death penalty until his subsequent pardon and release from prison as a result of the efforts of the Philippine government. (Contributed photo)

MANILA – An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) detained in Bahrain for murder but later released through grant of royal pardon was reunited with his family in Caloocan City on Wednesday.

The Bahraini government released Roderick Aguinaldo, 43, along with other Filipinos in prison on May 24, which marked the end of the holy month of Ramadhan in Bahrain, and were directly sent to the Philippine immigration detention center for the repatriation process.

Aguinaldo, along with his friend, who was also released from jail, finally came home to the Philippines.

They departed from Bahrain on June 6 via Gulf Air 154 and arrived in Manila at around 11:30 am on June 7, Sunday.

Hindi ko ma-explain talaga kung ano ang naramdaman ko ng panahon na ‘yun. Lumapit sa akin ‘yung officer, tinawag ako akala ko nagbibiro. Noong sinabing pauwiin na ako, sobrang tuwa ko, ni hindi ko ma-explain (I can't really explain how I felt during that time. The officer came near to me, I thought he was joking. When I was told I'll be going home, I was so happy. I couldn't even explain the feeling)," he said in an interview.

Upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, Aguinaldo and his friend underwent a step-by-step procedure for arriving OFWs in a one-stop-shop set up inside the terminal, as part of government measures to contain transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

SAFELY REPATRIATED. OFW Roderick Aguinaldo, 43, undergoes processes for Covid-19 swab test at NAIA's one-stop-shop for returning OFWs. The Bahraini government released Aguinaldo from imprisonment on May 24 through grant of royal pardon. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

The repatriated OFWs were sent to one of the isolation facility located in Manila City, and were subjected to a mandatory quarantine while waiting for their Covid-19 swab tests result.

Life in prison

Aguinaldo recounted his life behind bars, saying he immediately submitted himself to authorities after the murder of a Pakistani national.

The Bahraini police already found his place before surrendering.

He was arrested along with his friend, who was hiding Aguinaldo in his apartment.

They were brought to prison and spent years in jail.

Aguinaldo was sentenced to death, while his friend was penalized with 15 years of imprisonment.

Despite all circumstances, Aguinaldo did not lose hope.

He said he prayed a lot and expressed optimism throughout his days in jail.

Spending years in prison, Aguinaldo said he was still lucky that Bahraini authorities and his other fellow prisoners treated him well inside the cell, however, knowing that he was lined up in the death row scared him more.

Earlier in January, the Philippine government assisted Aguinaldo's family to have a compassionate visit to him in Bahrain.

Senator Bong Go and DFA officials accompany members of the Aguinaldo family in their visit to Malacanang on January 22, 2020. Scholarships and other forms of assistance were provided to his children. (Contributed photo)

He said his three children received scholarships from Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Amable Aguiluz V.

The government, he said, also shouldered the medication of his mother, who suffered a stroke.

Journey to freedom

In 2018, Aguinaldo said his family sought the help of Go, who was then Special Assistant to the President.

Aguinaldo’s call for help prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to ask Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to commute Aguinaldo’s death sentence into life imprisonment.

Duterte wrote a personal letter to King Khalifa requesting a pardon for imprisoned Filipinos in Bahrain.

Luckily, the Bahraini King granted a royal pardon to Aguinaldo along with his friend and two other OFW detainees imprisoned in Bahrain.

"Nagpasalamat kaagad ako sa itaas, dininig niya ang aking mga panalangin. Lalo na kay Presidente Duterte na hindi rin nagsawang sumuporta sa akin at tulungan ako at ang aking pamilya. Pati na rin kay Senator Bong Go, napakabuti nila. Hindi sila tumalikod sa akin, kung anong ipinangako nila sa akin talagang ginawa nila (I immediately thanked God for hearing all my prayers. Especially to President Duterte for tirelessly supporting me and helped me as well as my family. Also to Senator Bong Go. They were very kind to me. They didn't leave me behind, they really fulfilled their promise)," he said.

Upon Aguinaldo's release in Bahrain, Go immediately coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to speed up the repatriation process of these OFWs.

Aguinaldo expressed his gratefulness to the officials who worked on his release.

Gusto ko magpasalamat nang harapan sa kanila, sa ating Pangulong Duterte at Senator Bong Go. Napakabuti n’yo po, sir. Sana po madagdagan pa ng katulad ninyong tao sa ating gobyerno. Maraming mga Pilipinong matulungan, lalong-lalo na sa ibang bansa (I would like to thank them personally, President Duterte and Senator Bong Go. You are so kind. I hope more people like you would join government. Many Filipinos will be assisted, especially those abroad),” he said.

Meanwhile, OWWA facilitated the testing and quarantine process of Aguinaldo and his friend, upon their arrival in the country.

OWWA Deputy Administrator Faustino L. Sabarez III said the government will continue to extend assistance to OFWs have the same situation with Aguinaldo.

Reunited with loved ones

Alighting from a vehicle, Aguinaldo couldn't hold back his tears upon seeing his family for the first time in years.

Aguinaldo was allowed to go back home in their residence in Caloocan City after he tested negative for Covid-19.

He rushed to his wife, children, and his parents to give them a tight embrace.

Aguinaldo promised to start a new life.

He said he wants to focus on the welfare of his family and spend quality time with them.

Bagong buhay talaga. Tutok sa pamilya, lalung lalo na apat na taon ang bunso ko. Tatlong taon ko siya huling nakita, ngayon napakalaki na. ‘Yung nawala sa kanila sa apat na taon ko sa loob ng kulungan papalitan ko, mas dodoblehin ko pa (It's totally a new life. I want to focus on my family, especially on my four-year-old child. It's been three years since I saw her, now she's grown-up. I will make it up to them. I spent four years in jail, this time I'll double the efforts for my family),” he added.

Meanwhile, Aguinaldo's wife, Imelda, expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Philippine government to ensure the safe release of his husband and other Filipinos.

"Dininig ng Diyos ang aming dasal. Wala pong mintis na kaming mag-anak, lagi po 'yun, walang mintis ang pagsisimba namin. Kaya thank you po sa lahat, kay Senator Bong Go. Kase biruin mo galing pa kaming Bicol, pinauwi kami dito sa Manila. Tapos ayun po, naipasok niya ako sa trabaho (God answered all our prayers. We didn't miss a single prayer. Thank you for everything, thanks to Senator Bong Go. Imagine from Bicol, we were sent here in Manila, then he also helped me find a job)," she said. (PNA)

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