FILIPINO SPARED FROM DEATH IN TAIF REUNITED WITH FAMILY

Ronilo Arandia, a Filipino driver working in Saudi Arabia, who was spared from execution in Taif, arrived back in the Philippines. According to the Philippine Consulate General, the 46 year old from Cavite province, south of Manila, was sentenced to death after being found guilty of stabbing to death Jameel Al-Rahman, a co-worker at a palace in Taif where the two were both assigned. A court cited the testimony of Mohammad Khan, the palace manager, as saying Arandia stabbed Jameel repeatedly when the latter confronted him in a possible love triangle case. Jameel was said to have gotten jealous with Arandia, whom he accused of having an illicit relationship with another co-worker, a Filipino woman named Hannah Beniera. Arandia’s death sentence was later commuted to a 5-year imprisonment after he was forgiven by the victim’s family following the payment of diyah (blood money) raised with the help of an unnamed philanthropist. Beniera, who was found guilty of engaging in an illicit relationship, was deported to the Philippines after serving her sentence.