The family of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jeanelyn Villavende was offered ‘blood money’ worth Php59 million by her Kuwaiti employers, but despite being poor, her family rejected the offer right then and there!
They did not even hold a meeting to discuss whether they will receive the huge amount or not; they rejected the offer because they want justice to be served.
The money would definitely be a huge help for the family and would ensure they can live comfortably in the decades to come. But for the Villavende family, no amount of money would bring back their daughter – and no amount of money could ever match the value of her life!
It can be recalled that Villavende was rushed to the hospital last December 28, 2019 by her male employer who claimed that he found her unconscious when he got home. He implicated his wife, but the two were nabbed, pending investigation. After the autopsy, the husband was declared a primary suspect because the OFW showed signs that he did something to her.
According to Villavende’s 54-year-old father, Abelardo Villavende, an emissary for the employer called them several times to offer the ‘blood money’. If they agree to withdraw the charges filed against him and his wife, the couple would send the family Php59 million. The couple could easily afford that as the husband turned out to be a high-ranking official in Kuwait.
But the Villavende family rejected the offer.
“They took a life; they should pay with theirs,” declared the older Villavende.
Netizens praised the family for rejecting the offer. Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had also been vocal about constantly telling the family to reject any offer for ‘blood money’.
“There will be blood. I renounce [and] reject any offer of blood money for her [passing]. I want two lives for the life they took. The top-notch lawyer hired by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to prosecute is not authorized to suggest or accept blood money from [the suspects],” he said.
What’s Blood Money?
‘Blood money’ is a form of monetary payment or compensation paid to the family of a victim, usually from the suspect or the suspect’s family.
